Healing The Broken
by Leonardo1885
Summary: How much can someone take before they break? And will healing even be possible? Raphael is about to find out.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone I know this isn't the sequel to Blind Sight like I promised I'd work on. But today when I was at work, which seems to be when all my creative ideas seem to hit me, which is really annoying since I can't just stop and write it down the second an idea hits me. Unfortunately it wouldn't leave me alone it has nagged at me all day - the plot playing out in my mind like watching a movie several times. I knew then that this story would not leave me alone until it was written so the sequel to Blind Sight is on the back burner for right now I'm working on it along with this new story, but this story seems to want to be told first. My OC seems determined to have her story told and won't let me rest until it is. Quite literally in that fact because every time I go to do something else her story pops right into the front of my mind once again. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update. I'm going to shoot for within two weeks though. I'm still working full time, I'm still a wife, and now I'm going to school as well. So needless to say my weeks are very tightly packed... but that is my goal hopefully by the 30th I'll have a new chapter finished and ready to post. If I have it done sooner I promise I will post it. **

**I'm also giving you a heads up - this will be more of a Raphael story. I've been told I'm a Leonardo fan. That isn't true - I don't favor any one turtle over any of the others. My blind Leo stories are more of Leo stories for a reason - they have to be. But that doesn't mean I like him more than the others. I might gravitate more towards Leo or Raph because I'm so much like them that I find them much easier to write but I love Donny and Mikey just as much as I love Leo and Raph. If I had to pick a favorite of anything it would be Leo's favorite color, Raph's favorite weapon, Mikey's ability to see the funny side of anything, and Donny's ability to always be prepared for anything they encounter. Man I wish I had that ability. LOL. But I don't have a favorite turtle. Never have never will - they wouldn't be the same characters if one of them was missing, so I love them all equally. **

**And also I've said this before and I'll say it again - don't read it if you don't like it. It is such a waste of time. I don't mind constructive advice, but there is a limit to what I'll consider _tips _for my writing. I won't take kindly to it if you are rude, so if you don't like it just stop reading. **

**And a heads up this story will be darker than my previous stories. Sorry about that in advance if it bothers some readers, but that is just the way that my OC's story plays out. I always love hearing from my readers, if you leave a review I'll reply to it, having input really does make the work and time I put into my stories worth while. I write stories to have fun, I know they aren't perfect but I love to do it. And now that this A/N is super long... on with the first chapter. **

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><p><strong>Healing The Broken <strong>

**Chapter 1**

It was really too warm to be wearing a long sleeved shirt, let alone a thick cotton sweater. Elizabeth Cooper could feel the beads of sweat pop on her brow, then trickle slowly down her temples before stopping in the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away impatiently, trying to ignore just how uncomfortable having to wear the heavy sweater was. She knew the sun had almost set now and without it the temperature would drop a little, not enough for her to need a the sweater under normal circumstances, but she wouldn't be as uncomfortable either. Picking up her pace a little she continued down the darkening path she'd been walking.

She kept her arms folded together tightly against her chest, listening for the slightest rustle of leaves or the breaking of a twig, giving her any indication that she wasn't alone. But as the sun finally disappeared and the lights twinkled into existence she knew it was less likely that she'd bump into anyone on the path. She knew it was foolish to walk in Central Park alone, even more so after dark, but as far as she was concerned there were far worse things than a potential mugger or rapist. In fact at times she almost prayed for one of them - anything that would get her into a police department without raising too much suspicion. But for some reason everyone always left her alone.

She slowed down a little now, rubbing her left arm through the cotton sweater as she walked, wincing a little at the tenderness there. It wasn't as bad this time she told herself. It could have been a lot worse. Nothing was broken this time. But still the dark patches on her arm, the exact shape of his fingers, required the necessity of the sweater she wore. Not that most people would notice that kind of thing in the 'Big Apple' most people tended to just mind their own business and look the other way. No, the sweater was mostly for herself, she hated seeing those bruises, seeing the shapes the bruises had formed in, those horrible marks that were a constant reminder of how she'd come by them in the first place.

A light breeze blew in from her left and a few hairs pulled loose from her ponytail. A few strands of hair gently tickled her cheek, almost like a caress. Elizabeth tucked the strands behind her ear, knowing they wouldn't stay. Suddenly a bird called off to its mate in the distance, making Elizabeth start in surprise. She smiled when she heard the bird's mate call back and the two chirped back and forth happily, singing their last music for the night. It made Elizabeth a little sad, the coming of the night, for nights were what she feared the most. You could never tell what would happen once the sun sank down and the world was plunged into darkness.

But on the nights when she came here she found the darkness quite comforting, like an old friend. It cloaked her in the darkness and kept her safe... at least until she had to go back to the world that she dreaded.

The path curved a little to the right and Elizabeth followed it, so familiar with this path that she was sure she could get to her destination with her eyes closed. She did so now, a tingling feeling building in her gut, a feeling of excitement and dread both filling her up to the point where she was sure she would burst. Her eyes snapped open and she grinned as her desired object came into view.

A single park bench sitting next to the trail, illuminated by a single light. The wood was old and had aged badly over the years. The finish had been worn off thanks to rough winters and countless visitors. Elizabeth's feet seemed to speed up again of their own accord, and within a few short steps she reached it. She stroked the faded wood with the tips of her fingers, feeling the rough wood scrape against her soft skin. Elizabeth noticed a new scratch in the wood, as if someone had been digging into it while waiting impatiently for something or someone. Elizabeth could almost see an impatient teenager digging his keys into the wood, roughly digging away while his foot tapped impatiently on the concrete path.

Elizabeth sighed to herself as she perched on the edge of the worn bench, her elbows on her knees and her head cupped in her hands. She wasn't sure why she had come here tonight, she knew that she would be paying for it later, but still she just couldn't help herself. This was the place that she felt the safest, the most familiar, a place that had not changed much over the years. It was a place she had come a couple years ago when she had needed to think, or just wanted a break from the stresses that came from living in the big city. Of course, now was different. Those were happier days. And even though this old bench hadn't changed she certainly had.

She used to be pretty, she used to have no problem turning heads when she wanted to catch someone's eye. Now very few people glanced in her direction. It seemed incredible to her that only two years ago her life had been so carefree and happy.

At twenty-two she had been a successful fashion consultant, she had loved her job and had gone out frequently with her friends. They were always dragging her with them as they checked out new night clubs or if they wanted to grab a beer. Elizabeth had always been up for a having a good time. That is, until she met Graham anyway. It had been at one of those fun night clubs that she'd first seen him, he'd asked her to dance with him, and Elizabeth had been hooked.

Elizabeth twisted the delicate white gold ring on her left hand, even in the dim lighting the diamond glittered brilliantly as it caught the faint light. She remembered how her friends had envied her, how they all had wished for their own engagement rings. She could also remember how excited she'd been, how she'd clung onto Graham's arm as they'd strolled around Central Park together, chatting idly about their upcoming wedding and their plans for the future. Elizabeth had been so excited to start her future with Graham. She didn't realize until after the wedding what kind of man Graham really was.

Graham would often work late nights, sometimes calling and saying he'd just stay in a nearby hotel and not come home at all. Elizabeth hadn't thought much of this at first, but had gotten suspicious when Graham had come home smelling of strange perfumes. He always seemed to be drunk and would press her into satisfying his sexual desires - even to the point of violence if she didn't comply with what he wanted. After a while Elizabeth had had enough, she knew he was cheating on her, and she was tired of being forced into the bedroom with him.

But when she had packed up her things and told him she wanted a divorce Graham had gone ballistic. Elizabeth honestly couldn't remember what had happened after the first few blows, she remembered he'd caught her in the ribs a couple times and then there had been a blinding white light, she'd woken in the hospital three days later. The doctors had told her she'd taken a nasty fall down the stairs, Elizabeth didn't argue the point because Graham was sitting in the chair right next to her bed, his fingers clamped tightly around her hand.

She'd had three fracture ribs and a fractured wrist. Other than that nothing but some bumps and bruises. The doctors had been worried about brain swelling but they had been monitoring it over the past few days and there had been no indication of that. So after a few more days without further complications Graham had been allowed to take her home.

On the car ride home Graham informed Elizabeth of where she stood in their relationship, that she should consider the ribs and wrist a warning, and next time it would be worse. Elizabeth had been too frightened to say anything. She longed to go to the police station, to tell them the truth, to have them lock him away. But she also knew that Graham would be able to post bail. He made enough money at his job that he could get out, and she knew that when he did he'd come after her, but the next time he'd be out for blood.

Over the next couple of years Elizabeth started accepting the punishments Graham dealt out. A slap to the face always stung, but thankfully it never made a mark. That didn't mean that Graham didn't leave his marks. Elizabeth had become a master at covering them up though, heavy face makeup for the bruises on her face, long sleeved shirts or sweaters for the bruises on her arms. She never wore anything but ankle length jeans, and just in case she wore boots that went halfway up her calf. Just in case the pant leg pulled a little and exposed her pale skin.

Her long brown hair, once shiny and well cared for, now hung limp and straggly down her back, the tips just brushing the waistline of her jeans. Her skin clung tightly to her bones, giving her a skeletal appearance. Elizabeth didn't care, she just couldn't find the energy to care much about anything anymore, much less her own life. Sometimes she thought her life would be a whole lot easier if she was no longer living it.

There were days she had prayed for death. That God would end her torture and just take her way, take her to a place where the pain would stop. But death never came and now Elizabeth's prayers had become less frequent, almost to the point of non-existence.

The timer on Elizabeth's watch beeped loudly, announcing to her that Graham would be home soon, and if she wasn't there she'd have new bruises joining the ones she'd gotten last night. Elizabeth sighed and stood reluctantly from her bench, running her fingertips along the worn wood one last time, as if saying good bye to an old friend. She wasn't sure when she could risk returning here.

As she stepped away from the light and into the darkness she felt as if something warm, almost cherished, had suddenly been ripped away from her. Her steps were slow as she started down the path that would take her out of the park.

She really didn't want to leave, she was sure that she could stay here all night and Graham would never think to look here. Their days of long walks through the park had been brought to a screeching halt the day they had married. Graham told her he had never liked walking through the park with her, he'd just done it to make her happy.

Elizabeth regretted that. She regretted ever meeting Graham. She wished she had told her friends no that day, she wished that she had said she was sick. That she couldn't go out. If she had then her life would probably have turned out different.

Elizabeth paused when she heard a soft rustle of clothing coming from behind a nearby tree. She narrowed her eyes, her lips tightening against her teeth while her heart pounded furiously within her chest. She couldn't see beyond the dim lighting, but she was almost certain that someone was hiding just out of sight behind one of those thick tree trunks.

Letting her feet pick the pace Elizabeth hurried forward, keeping her ears open for sounds of pursuit. She was concentrating so hard on who was behind her that she wasn't paying attention to the path in front of her, and probably wouldn't if it hadn't been for the man she bumped into.

She heard him grunt and felt her own breath knocked out of her as she took a couple of steps back to regain her balance, trying desperately not to go sprawling.

"I… I'm sorry," Elizabeth stammered, feeling her cheeks redden with embarrassment.

"Dat's ok, sugar," The man purred, his face hidden beneath the brim of a hat that he had tipped slightly to the side.

A chill ran up Elizabeth's back, and she shook off the shiver that wanted to tremble through her body.

"What's a sweet thing like ya doin' out here so late?" The man teased, his voice still holding that tone that made Elizabeth squirm uncomfortably.

"I'm… I was going for a walk," Elizabeth said lamely. "But I've got to get home, my husband will be worried."

"Ahh, well no worries, sweet cheeks, ya'll get home safe and sound…" The man said then before Elizabeth could move he clamped his hands on her arms while two more hands grabbed her from behind. One hand clapped over her mouth, stopping her scream before it had any volume to it, the other snaked around her waist, pinning her to the man behind her.

Elizabeth squirmed in their holds, her eyes going wide with horror as the man standing before he released one of her arms and waved a knife lazily in front of her right eye.

"Now just take it easy, sweet heart – ya do what we tell ya and we won't have ta hurt ya," The man crooned, although his mouth turned up into an ugly sneer, his eyes went wide – almost predatory.

Elizabeth's body went cold as she jerked against the arms restraining her. It all seemed like a hideous joke. Why tonight? She had been coming out here for months and no one had ever paid her any attention. It almost seemed as if her prayers to die were finally being answered. But this wasn't the way she had planned it. She didn't want die lying in the dark all alone while she choked on her own blood. She couldn't think of a worse way to go, but as she looked into the man who was waving the knife casually in her face she knew that she wouldn't be walking out of here. Despite what they were saying they had no intention of letting her live.

She closed her eyes and whimpered as the man who was holding the knife let the tip kiss her soft skin, he ran it down her cheek, his mouth open in an almost curious expression, as if wondering what would happen if he pressed the edge into the pale white flesh. His companion meanwhile, keeping one hand clamped over her mouth to muffle her whimpers, let his other hand snake down towards the top of her jeans. Elizabeth's body jerked in an automatic reaction. She squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could when she felt the button on her jeans released, making the already loose jeans sag slightly on her hips.

She was shaking now, she couldn't help it. She could feel the tip of the knife dig into the soft skin on her throat now and whimpered as a small trail of blood began to flow.

She knew who these two men were now. There had been reports on them for weeks, police had been scouring the area trying to find them, but had had no luck. All they would ever find was the evidence that they had been there. A body stripped from the waist down, bruises on her arms and legs and a slashed throat. She knew by the time someone found her it would be too late – she'd be the next victim on the tally for tomorrow night's news. Still she prayed to any God that might be listening that at least it would be fast, that she wouldn't die a long agonizing painful death. That they'd slash her throat deep enough that it would kill her quickly.

"Did ya hear dat?" The man holding her from behind hissed.

"I didn't hear nothin'," The man holding the knife said, glaring at his companion. "Come on – let's get dis done."

As he reached for her jeans Elizabeth's eyes opened wide and she struggled, despite the holds on her, desperate to not let this happen… to stop them from doing this to her. The man holding the knife suddenly pressed his body up against hers, pinning her against his companion. His hot breath hit her face, she tried to pull back but was unable to do much of anything.

"Ya don't wanna do dat," The man warned, pressing the knife against her throat again. "Ya don't wanna get hurt do ya?" He smirked.

Elizabeth felt the knife jerk against her throat as she swallowed and another trickle of blood began to run into her cotton sweater, staining it a dark crimson red. She closed her eyes again, not trying to fight now, knowing the man would do what he wanted to anyway before he killed her. Despite her efforts to stop him she knew she wasn't strong enough to throw them both off, and even if she were she knew he wouldn't hesitate to seriously injure her to the point where she wouldn't be able to get away before he took advantage of her. Her fate had been sealed the moment she had walked into the park. She was going to die.

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><p>Raphael was having a bad night. He'd had another fight with Leo and when things had finally come to a head Raphael had stormed out hoping to blow off some steam. After patrolling some of their usual spots and stopping would be break in from happening Raphael decided to go to Central Park. It was dark enough now that he could easily hide amongst the trees, and the park wasn't nearly as crowded at night. In fact most people tended to avoid it altogether at night. The natives of New York at least knew that Central Park tended to attract darker characters after the sun went down. So if they strolled down the lighted paths at all they did so in pairs, you were less likely to get jumped when you were with someone else.<p>

Raphael often liked to walk through Central Park after dark, enjoying the cover of the trees while seeing some of the sights and sounds of the city that most people just took for granted on a daily basis. Raphael often liked to stand on one of the bridges and just stare at the dark water down below. The slow trickling of the water, his own dark reflection often helped him to calm down enough that he could think with a straight head.

As he entered the park he knew that tonight was probably going to be one of those nights where staring at his own dark reflection probably wouldn't do much for him. The would be thief he'd stopped hadn't been much of a challenge and his blood was still boiling as he thought back on his and Leo's argument. He'd always found his brother to be so smug, so set in his ways… such a perfect son that Raphael would always be in his shadow. It made him angry, why couldn't Leo do something wrong once in a while? Why did he always have to be so perfect?

Raphael's heart pounded hard against his ribs, as if it were angry with his brother too.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Raphael picked up the pace, sprinting into the cover of the trees and quickly scaling one of them. He perched on a thick branch, holding the one above him to help him balance while he sat on the balls of his feet, staring at the lighted lamps and the few stragglers who were slowly making their way out of the park pass by below him.

He watched them go with disinterest. These people weren't very interesting, so caught up in their own lives, never noticing as the days rushed by. Bored he made his way further into the park's depths. He was hoping to find some action, something, anything that would give him the release he was hoping for.

As he closed in on his favorite bridge a flash of movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention. Raphael went still, settling himself onto a new perch and gazing down at a girl no older than her mid-twenties standing up slowly from a bench. She brushed off her jeans, ran her fingers along the park bench's seat with the tips of her fingers and walked slowly down the path towards the exit.

Raphael frowned, something didn't feel right here. Why was this girl sitting all by herself in the park well after nightfall? Was she waiting for someone? Had she been stood up?

Raphael knew it wasn't his business either way, and was tempted to just let her go while he continued on towards the bridge, but something stopped him. Almost like an itch underneath his shell it was something he couldn't quite reach but he wanted to know what it was that was bothering him, it just didn't feel right. He waited until the girl had started up the curve on the path before dropping down from the trees and landing silently on the balls of his feet.

With movements drilled into him for as long as he could remember Raphael started to ghost the girl as she started down the path. She kept her arms folded across her chest, her head down on her feet. She was biting her lip, and even in the pale lighting Raphael could see the almost transparent color of her skin. Her long dark hair hung down her back in a sloppy ponytail, a few loose hairs blew out behind her as a gentle wind picked up. The girl didn't seem to notice. Her jeans seemed too loose for her, the ends dragged on the ground, making a slight scuffing noise as she walked, she also wore a loose cotton sweater, which Raphael thought was odd for the night was not chilly. As if sensing his gaze on her the girl pressed her arms closer to her chest and looked over her shoulder to look into the dark trees beyond the path. Had she known what to look for, and had Raphael not darted behind the closest tree she might have seen him. As it was she didn't, she hesitated for a moment then began to walk again, quicker this time as if she could feel his eyes on her.

Raphael didn't trail as close now, not wanting to alarm her. But then she suddenly stopped, stumbled, and took a couple of steps back as if trying to stop herself from falling. Raphael darted forward, frowning as another human came into view. From the stiff set of her shoulders and the way her fingers trembled Raphael was sure that this girl had had no idea who this man was – or that he had even been there.

Raphael automatically reached for his sai, his fingers tightening on the handles of his sai, feeling the familiar worn material underneath his hands. It felt like gripping onto an old friend – he'd had these weapons for so long now. He knew every inch of them, knew how they balanced in his hands, knew how to control them better than he could control his own temper. He pulled the weapons from his belt, a low growl building in his throat as a second man approached the girl from behind, covering her mouth and pinning her against him.

His eyes narrowed as he recognized these two men. He didn't like watching the news, it always ticked him off how so many people could do so many bad things to others. But Leonardo and Splinter often watched the news together, and if Raphael was in or near the vicinity of the TV he would overhear the news reports. Lately there had been almost daily reports of women who had been raped and murdered in Central Park. Police had had no luck in finding the culprits.

Raphael wasn't about to let this girl join the list of growing victims. He crouched down as low as he could get, his corded muscles ready to spring, his teeth grinding together so hard it made his jaw ache.

He watched as the man pinning the girl to his body slid his hand down her stomach, making her squirm a little, then he undid the clasp on her pants.

His partner was waving a knife around, almost as if it were a toy, he'd press it against the girl's pale flesh, kissing the metal against the soft epidermis. And then, ever so slowly the man reached forward, reaching for the girl once again, the knife held at her throat to stop her from squirming against him as he pinned his body up against hers. Raphael was sure that the girl didn't realize that he was undoing his own jeans with the hand not holding the knife against her throat.

Raphael had seen enough. Springing out of his hiding place and leaping at the two sex offenders with a growl ripping through his bared teeth. Both men looked up surprised and startled, then their faces both paled at the same time at the realization that they had been caught in the act. It might have been funny, but Raphael saw no humor in this situation at all. He moved so fast neither had time to really react to his presence.

He took the man that was holding the knife to the girl's throat first, wanting to get that knife away from her before it really did hurt her. The man fell like a sack of potatoes when Raphael's weight crashed into him. The man gasped, his eyes open wide is fear and surprise as Raphael knocked the knife from his hands. Raphael pulled the man roughly to his feet by the front of his shirt.

"Put him down!" The second man with the girl barked.

Raphael turned, glaring at the man, but froze when he saw the slightly bulkier man was still holding the pale girl against him, but now he held a gun to her head, his face was hidden in shadow, but Raphael knew he was sneering at him, even if he couldn't see it. Raphael let the thug drop to the ground with a dull thud.

"Now drop dem knives!" The man growled, pressing the barrel of the gun even harder against the girl's temple. Even in the dim lighting Raphael could see a couple of tears squeeze out from underneath her closed lids and slide quickly down her cheeks, disappearing as they ran off the tip of her chin.

"Let 'er go," Raphael growled.

"Drop dem knives!" The man insisted through his bared yellow teeth.

Raphael didn't move. He wasn't about to give up his one means of defense.

"I will shoot," The man warned, cocking the gun.

Raphael was a blur of motion and before the man could really comprehend what had happened his hand was jerked into the air and the gun fired. The girl jerked a little, and fell to her knees as Raphael's foot connected with the man's abdomen, forcing him to release her. The man swung the gun around angrily, waving it in much the same way as his friend had been with the knife. Raphael made a quick decision and charged the man, grabbing him around the middle and throwing him off balance. The gun went off again but this time Raphael got the gun away from him. He saw the gun go spinning off the path into the darkness of the trees beyond. Then twisting his sai he hit the man in the temple with the butt end, quickly knocking the man out. He sat up, panting a little and looked for the second – but he was gone.

The girl was still where she had been a minute ago, on her knees, her head in her hands, her dark hair now pulled completely loose from its ponytail. It hung around her shoulders like a dark curtain.

"Ya should call da police," Raphael growled, though he tried to make his voice soft she still jumped.

"I… I don't have a phone to… to call," The girl confessed, not looking up.

"Ya don't have a cell phone?" Raphael asked, cocking his head slightly as he studied this girl. Everyone these days had a cell phone.

The girl just shook her head. She still didn't look up.

Raphael sighed, pulling his shell cell from his belt. "I can call da police. Ya ok ta wait fer 'em on yer own?"

"Please… don't leave me," The girl finally lifted her head and turned to look at him. Raphael automatically stepped further into the shadows. He was pretty sure that the girl hadn't gotten a good look at him during the short battle. He had tried to drag that thugs into the shadowed parts of the path before taking them down. He wasn't going to take any chances of her seeing him now.

"Yer safe now – dey won't come after ya again," Raphael muttered.

"Please," The girl turned now and Raphael's eyes widened behind his mask. A growing stain of dark red was blossoming on her pale cotton sweater, just below the shoulder.

"Did he shoot ya?" Raphael demanded, his voice harsher than he intended making her flinch back.

"It passed through," The girl said, though her already pale face had taken on a chalky appearance.

"Ya gotta get ta da hospital," Raphael said flipping open his shell cell.

He hadn't expected the girl to cry out, or to leap at him. He took a startled step back, trying to stop her from touching him, not wanting her to realize that his skin wasn't a soft smooth texture but rather the slightly rougher and cooler skin of a reptile.

"No! Please! Don't do that! He'll kill me! I know he'll kill me!" The girl begged, her green eyes were wide with fear, more tears built up, some sticking to her eyelashes but others ran down her bony cheeks swiftly. She reached for him again and Raphael took another step back.

"No one's gonna hurt ya now," Raphael insisted.

"No – you don't understand!" The girl insisted, tugging at her sweater sleeve, but she seemed to have trouble pulling it up. "Please – he'll kill me!"

Raphael was honestly confused now. "Who's gonna kill ya?"

"My… my… " The girl's voice suddenly trailed off, what little color she had left in her face drained so suddenly that Raphael reached for her in alarm, just as her knees buckled, her eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed as she sank into unconsciousness.

"Great," Raphael muttered as he adjusted his hold on the girl. He was surprised to feel how light she was, he could feel her bony arms even through her thick sweater. "Dis night just keeps gettin' better and better."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys. I finished this chapter faster than I thought I would, and as promised I'm going to post it now that I have it done, rather than making you wait until next weekend. My life is going to be rather hectic for the next five weeks, but I promise I'll update as often as I can. And thanks to those who've taken the time to review - I really appreciate it guys. Enjoy the next chapter.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

"Donny, has Raph come back yet?" Michelangelo popped his head around the corner of Donatello's lab, his bright smile accompanying his question.

Donatello looked up from the encyclopedia sized book he'd been studying. "I haven't seen him."

"Man, Leo's about ready to flip his lid," Michelangelo said, chuckling a little.

Donatello glanced at the small clock he had on his lab table. "It's only a little after eleven, that isn't late for Raph."

Michelangelo laughed again, more quietly this time. "If Raph was smart he'd stay out all night, it'll give Leo time to cool off."

"It might take Leo longer than that considering what Raph said to him, Mikey," Donatello said pointedly, he returned his eyes to his book.

"Donatello!"

Donatello flinched at the use of his whole name. His brother's voice was sharp, hard, it was the tone he usually reserved when he was in "leader" mode. Donatello looked up from his book again, marking his place on the page with his finger just as Leonardo appeared in the doorway next to Michelangelo.

"Yeah, Leo?"

"Has Raphael come back yet?" Leonardo demanded, his eyes hard behind his blue mask.

Donatello sighed. "I just told Mikey that I haven't seen him yet, Leo. It really isn't unlike Raph to be out this late. "

"Yeah, well being Raph he's probably got himself into some kind of trouble," Leonardo snapped, turning to look over his shoulder to the front door, as if willing Raphael to come through it.

"We've got those panic buttons on the shell cells if he needs us, Leo," Donatello said calmly, although he was getting tired of his brothers hanging around just outside his lab. He found these interruptions very distracting and he was anxious to get back to his book.

"Well if you see him… " Leonardo said his eyes narrowing marginally.

"I'll let you know," Donatello promised.

Leonardo nodded once then turned and stormed away. Michelangelo stared after him, his eyes wide and his jaw slack. He turned back to look at Donatello.

"Man I haven't seen Leo this mad in a long time," Michelangelo breathed. "I'd sure hate to be in Raph's shell."

Donatello frowned as he reread the sentence he'd been trying to process for the last few minutes. He still hadn't taken any of it in.

"Donny, you don't think Raph got into trouble do you?" Michelangelo asked, suddenly serious and worried.

Donatello slapped his hand down on his page and glared up at his sibling. "No, Mikey, I don't. If Raph ran into trouble he can hit the panic button on the shell cell – that's what it's there for. Now if you don't mind…" He gestured towards his book. "I'd really like to get back to this."

"Oh, sure, Donny," Michelangelo said quickly. "I've got some new levels to beat anyway."

Donatello waved his brother off and let his eyes return to the page he'd been so engrossed in before his brothers had interrupted. He didn't notice when the sounds of the TV died down, or when the lair became quiet enough to indicate that his brothers had gone to bed. But he was faintly aware of hearing the front door opening, announcing Raphael's arrival at last.

Donatello looked up from the book and glanced at his small clock, startled when he noticed the time. He quickly thumbed the pages left in his book and decided he could finish it the next day. His eyes were starting to protest and his back ached from sitting still for so long. He stood up and stretched, feeling that this was a good as time as any to get some sleep.

Flipping off the lights he walked out of the lab. "Bout time you got home, Raph." Donatello said dryly as he turned to close his lab door. "Leo's gonna have your shell for being out so late."

"Donny," Raphael sounded slightly out of breath. Donatello turned, concerned his brother had been injured and felt his eyes pop and his jaw drop in surprise when he saw what was cradled in his brother's arms.

"Raph, what are you… ? Who is that?" Donatello asked hurrying forward.

Raphael had paused just inside the door, Elizabeth cradled in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder, blood soaked through her cotton sweater, her skin very pale, her eyes closed.

"Dem guys dat have been doin' all dem rapes and murders tried ta get 'er. I stopped 'em, but she got shot. Didn't want me ta call an ambulance fer 'er – was pretty insistent 'bout it." Raphael explained as Donatello joined him.

Donatello frowned at the growing blood stain on the girl's cotton sweater, then examined her for more injuries.

"She should be in a hospital, Raph. She's lost a lot of blood – she needs a transfusion." Donatello said, scowling a little.

"I know dat, Donny. But she wouldn't go – she kept sayin' dat someone would kill 'er," Raphael said frowning down at the unconscious girl in his arms.

Donatello's head snapped up. "She said someone was going to kill her?"

Raphael shrugged. "Dat's what she kept sayin'. Wasn't makin' a lotta sense. Dink she was in shock."

"Well it's too late now," Donatello sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Take her to the infirmary I'll do what I can for her."

"Thanks, Donny," Raphael said hurrying around his brother. He stopped after a few feet and looked over his shoulder to look at his brother. "Just a – don't tell Leo yet ok, Don? Let me explain it to 'im myself."

Donatello nodded. "Probably would be better if you did, Raph."

Raphael gave a slight nod and carried the girl into the infirmary. Donatello sighed, thought longingly about a good strong cup of coffee and then followed.

* * *

><p>Raphael waited outside the infirmary while Donatello worked. He paced restlessly, not at all sure why he was so anxious for Donatello's verdict, or why he had even brought the girl down here in the first place. Why hadn't he just called the ambulance and waited in the shadows until he was sure that the girl was in safe hands? Even if she had protested him getting her medical help, that wouldn't have normally stopped him. So why had it this time?<p>

He was almost positive that she hadn't seen him, so he was sure that waking up in a strange place surrounded by mutated turtles and a rat would not bode well. He had learned from April's reaction upon seeing them for the first time that not all humans handled what they were very well at first. Of course Casey had been different, and so had many others, but there were still those who wouldn't react to what they were as well as others had.

It was almost an hour after Donatello had gone to work on her that his brother called Raphael in.

"How is she, Donny?" Raphael asked anxiously.

The pale girl's cotton sweater and the shirt underneath it had been removed. She was lying on the cot, the sheet pulled up over her chest to give her some semblance of decency. The wound just under her shoulder had been dressed and her arm now rested in a sling. She had a little more color in her cheeks, but was still very pale. Her eyes moved restlessly underneath her closed lids.

"She's stable for now," Donatello said, sounding very tired.

Raphael looked at him and wasn't at all surprised to see the exhausted slump in Donatello's shoulders, or the way his blinks seemed to last longer than normal. But still there was something about Donatello's expression that made Raphael curious.

"Is somethin' wrong, Donny?"

"Raph – when those guys grabbed her. Did they… well was it hard enough to bruise her up?" Donatello asked, turning away from the girl and staring at his brother seriously.

"I… I don't know, Donny. Probably. Dey didn't want 'er gettin' loose, and dey weren't gonna let 'er live so I doubt dey would care if dey roughed 'er up a bit." Raphael said with a shrug.

"Hmm… you're probably right," Donatello said, his frown deepening. "But that wouldn't explain these."

Very carefully Donatello extracted one of the girl's arms from underneath the sheet to show the exposed skin to his brother.

Raphael's eyes widened in surprise at the extent of the bruising. "But dose look like dey are days old, Donny."

"Exactly," Donatello said, tucking the arm underneath the blanket again. "And from the pattern I'd say that they were probably caused by someone grabbing onto her."

"Ya dink dis has happened ta 'er before?" Raphael asked, a growl building in his throat.

"No, Raph – I think it could be more serious than that. If I'm right it would explain why she was so adamant about not going to the hospital," Donatello said carefully.

Raphael scowled at him.

"Raph," Donatello said slowly. "I think this girl is in a physically abusive relationship. I've seen more bruising along her abdomen and back. Some of them are fairly large. She has a lot of scars too. Too many for them to be normal." He then gestured to her left hand. "My guess would be her husband is either involved or doesn't do anything to protect her from whomever is beating her up."

"But why wouldn't she go ta da hospital den? Couldn't dey help 'er?"

"Maybe, but more likely than not they'd call the police. If this girl is in an abusive relationship she can have whoever is abusing her arrested, Raph. But if he is powerful or has enough money he can bail himself out. Then what's to stop him from coming after her? The best she could do is get a restraining order but he could easily violate that. Even if she were able to get to a phone to call the cops they might not get there in time and she probably knows that. On the other hand if she went to the hospital and they called her husband and he found out that she was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be she might be worse off for it – if he is the one that is doing this to her. She is trying to keep under the radar, from both the police and whoever is beating her up. That's why she insisted that she not be taken to a hospital."

"So what are we gonna do, Donny? Ya know Leo's not gonna be happy I brought 'er down here." Raphael said flatly.

"No – he probably won't, Raph," Donatello agreed. "But we can deal with that tomorrow. For now I've done all I can. We'll see what happens tomorrow."

"I'll stay with 'er – ya need ta go get some sleep, Donny," Raphael said looking over at the girl again.

"Might not be a bad idea if you stay with her," Donatello said easily, yawning a little. "You were the one who rescued her after all. She'd be more comfortable waking up to you than to anyone else. Just… " He hesitated a moment, staring hard at his older brother. "Just don't push her for answers yet, Raph. Victims of domestic violence rarely ever admit to it and pushing her isn't going to do us any good. If she's going to tell us she'll have to do it on her time."

"Whatever," Raphael grumbled. "Go get some sleep, Donny."

"Night, Raph," Donatello said brushing past him and out of the infirmary.

Raphael grunted in response and sat down in the chair the brothers always used when one of them was keeping vigil over an injured or sick brother. The girl shifted and moaned a little in her sleep. Raphael leaned back in the chair, his arms crossed over his chest. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

><p>When Elizabeth woke it was dark. She blinked her eyes and stared at the inky blackness above her, a bit surprised. She wasn't quite sure where she was, the last thing she remembered was being at the park. She shuddered, remembering the way those two men had grabbed her, kept her still, the way the one holding her from behind had stroked her stomach as he reached for her jeans.<p>

She had been sure that she had seen her last sunset – she had watched the news, had known who those two men were. So how had she escaped? And then she remembered, someone had intervened, had stopped them from hurting her. She hadn't seen his face, his movements had been far too fast for her to see him properly and he had dragged her attackers off into the shadows. Elizabeth figured he'd done that so he wouldn't scare her, but she hadn't been scared. She had felt hope for the first time in a very long time. The fact that someone in the "big apple" didn't always look the other way had given her the strength she needed to keep calm, even when one of her attackers had drawn his gun.

He'd fired two shots, the first one had gone wide, hitting a nearby tree but the second – she'd felt the second enter her body just below her shoulder. It had been excruciating, but she had bit back her cry. She'd learned long ago that those who liked to hurt others always seemed to gain power when you cried out – it made them do it more and more. So she bit her lip and crushed her nails into her palms to stop from crying out. The bullet went right through, she felt it exit through the skin and had felt the warm sticky sensation of blood soaking her clothes. She'd heard scuffling and then the park had been quiet.

She had wondered briefly if her rescuer had simply faded off into the night, just as he had come. But then his voice, a bit gruff but softened with concern for her well being had come from the shadows. He'd said something about the authorities – and an ambulance. Elizabeth's memory was a little foggy from there, she knew she had been losing blood and a lot of it. Too much of it. The only thing she could think of was going to the hospital meant doctors, concerned doctors who would call her husband and when Graham found out where she'd been, she'd have been better off if those two murderers had finished her. Graham would finish what they hadn't. He'd kill her.

In desperation she had leapt at her rescuer, begged him not to call an ambulance. She tried to show him, tried to make him understand why he couldn't call the police – couldn't let them take her to a hospital. She'd tugged at the cotton sweater's sleeve but her fingers had gone numb and she couldn't get a good grip on the stupid material.

Now she was cloaked in darkness. Where was she? She was sure this wasn't a hospital, it didn't smell like a hospital. It didn't have the usual busy sounds that accompanied a hospital – even during the night shifts. No this place was like none other she'd ever been to before.

She could tell that someone had dressed her wound. Her shoulder was stiff and the bandages that had been used to cover the wound rubbed roughly against her skin. Though it was hard to move that arm at all as it was in a sling. The pain was tolerable. She'd had much worse from some of the blows Graham had delivered. She ignored the sting in her shoulder as she blinked her eyes, trying to adjust to the blackness. But it was like trying to see through closed eyelids, it was complete blackness. She couldn't see anything.

"How ya feelin'?"

The voice was so unexpected that Elizabeth jumped, then winced as the movement pulled at her shoulder. She hissed a little then bit off the noise quickly.

"Ya ok? Ya need somethin' fer da pain?" The voice moved a bit closer, as if the person was sitting close to her bed and had leaned forward in concern. Elizabeth's eyebrows rose a bit, surprised. How could he see her when she couldn't see anything?

"You… you're the one who rescued me in the park," Elizabeth whispered, her voice rough. She tried clearing her throat quietly but it made her cough.

Suddenly a cup was pressed to her hand, she jumped, startled again. She hadn't even heard him move.

"Drink dis, ya lost a lotta blood," The slightly gruff but familiar voice said gently.

Elizabeth accepted the cup and tried to sit up, but found it too hard to move. She grimaced and felt the liquid splash over the mouth of the cup onto her hand.

And then suddenly she felt a hand on hers, steadying it. Her first instinct was to jerk away, she'd learned long ago to hate being touched. But when the hand tightened ever so slightly she realized that he wasn't going to let her shrug him off. Another hand at her neck help her sit up just a little bit, she winced as the pressure on her shoulder increased, but now she could get the cup to her lips. She drank greedily, surprised by her thirst.

In no time at all the cup was drained at her rescuer helped her lay back down on the bed she was resting on.

Her rescuer sat back down in the chair close to her bed, she could hear it squeak a little as he leaned back.

"Gatorade?" Elizabeth enquired softly.

"It'll help ta bring yer blood count back up."

Elizabeth was silent for a moment. She was afraid to ask too many questions. Questions always caused trouble. Graham didn't like her asking questions. But still, she wasn't in a hospital – and this didn't seem like a typical home. The smell here was rather musty… she couldn't quite place it. Questions raced through her mind, but she curbed them. She didn't want to be too inquisitive. A nuisance to her rescuer. After a few minutes of silence however one question had to be asked.

"How long have I been out?" Elizabeth asked almost dreading the answer. She had a feeling that she had been unconscious for a while – and if she had Graham would be out looking for her. She shuddered, thinking about what he would do to her when he found her again.

"A couple hours," came the gruff reply.

Elizabeth was quiet again, thinking about that. She'd been at the park later than she would normally have been. Graham had been working a late night and she had taken advantage of it. If she had been unconscious for a couple hours he would surely have been home and looking for her by now.

"What were ya doin' in da park so late by yerself?" The gruff voice suddenly asked, making Elizabeth start in surprise.

"I like going to the park – it's peaceful there," Elizabeth said.

"Didn't look dat peaceful ta me," The gruff voice objected.

Elizabeth grimaced. He was right of course, tonight had been a bad night to be alone in the park. If he hadn't come along when he had – Elizabeth had no doubt that she would have made the morning news. And not in a good way.

"Thank you… thank you for rescuing me," Elizabeth said quietly.

Her rescuer huffed in response.

"I don't even know your name."

"I didn't offer it," The gruff voice said a bit harshly.

Elizabeth flinched. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to…" She trailed off. Talking too much caused trouble, Graham didn't like it when she talked to much. She bit her lip and blinked into the darkness. She could hear her rescuer's soft breathing close by. She found it soothing in some odd comforting way. She began to pace her breathing with his.

"Raphael."

"What?" Elizabeth asked surprised.

"Dat's my name – Raphael," The rough voice answered again.

"Raphael," Elizabeth tried it out and found she rather liked his name. It suited her gruff voiced rescuer.

Raphael grunted in the darkness.

"Well thank you, Raphael for saving me. Most people would have looked the other way," Elizabeth said with a smile, for some reason she was sure Raphael could see it.

"I'm not most people," Raphael said bluntly.

"Obviously," Elizabeth muttered.

Raphael was quiet again and Elizabeth lapsed into silence as well. It seemed that whoever this Raphael guy was he wasn't a big talker. At least not with her. But she found his presence comforting. Raphael gave off an aurora of one not to be tangled with, he was strong enough to defend himself and obviously strong willed, but there was something soothing about him being there with her too. She couldn't place what it was, but she almost felt… safe.

Still she wasn't going to trust that feeling. She had felt the same way with Graham before they had gotten married. He had made her feel safe too and then he'd shown his true colors. Now she was trapped and she had no doubt in her mind if she tried to leave again he would kill her just like he'd promised.

"Do ya need us ta call someone fer ya?" Raphael suddenly asked, interrupting Elizabeth's thoughts.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, startled.

"Yer wearin' a ring. Do we need ta call yer husband? Help ya get home?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror. "No, please," Elizabeth begged, trying to sit up again, but suddenly Raphael's hand was on her good shoulder pinning her down to the bed. "Don't call anyone. Please – don't… he'll be so angry with me. He swore he'd kill me!" Tears stung her eyes and leaked slowly down her cheeks.

"Calm down, lady – just take it easy."

"Elizabeth."

"Huh?"

"My name – it's Elizabeth."

"Ok, 'Lizbeth – just take it easy." Raphael deliberately softened his voice to help calm her. Elizabeth relaxed under his hand.

"Just don't call him – please." Elizabeth begged again.

"Ya don't want yer husband ta know yer ok?" Raphael asked.

Elizabeth bit her lip but didn't answer. She was grateful to Raphael for saving her but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to tell him why she didn't want him to call her husband. If he found out that Graham was beating her he'd surely call the authorities. When the authorities saw the evidence of Graham's abuse for themselves they'd arrest him. But he'd bail himself out – Elizabeth was sure of that and when he did he'd be after her. No matter where Elizabeth ran he'd find her. Graham had a lot of friends in very high places, sooner or later he'd find her and when he did he'd kill her.

Elizabeth shifted uneasily against the cool sheets, and then her eyes widened as she took notice of the fact that her shirt was missing for the first time.

"Did you take off my clothes?" Elizabeth demanded, changing the subject.

"No," Raphael said his voice even.

"Then what happened to my…?"

"My brother had ta take dem off in order ta get ta yer wounds," Raphael explained.

Elizabeth felt blood rush to her face. She was embarrassed and horrified. Not only by the fact that her shirts were gone but that some stranger, not even her rescuer that she barely knew, had been the one to take them off.

Elizabeth clutched at the sheet that was covering her with her hand that wasn't in the sling.

"Ya said ya didn't wanna be taken ta da hospital," Raphael explained lightly. "I couldn't leave ya out der bleedin' ta death."

"No – I suppose you're right," Elizabeth said quietly, still feeling very embarrassed.

"Donny knows what he's doin' – he's really good at dat kinda stuff."

Elizabeth frowned. Raphael sounded a bit amused, as if he had expected this kind of reaction from her. She frowned, scowling into the darkness.

"I'll have Donny take a look at ya when he wakes up. Den I can help ya get home if ya want."

"No!" Elizabeth all but yelled. She flushed again and tightened her arm around her chest. "No – please, I don't feel up to going home just yet."

"Ya don't dink yer husband will be lookin' fer ya?" Raphael pressed.

"I suppose he might be," Elizabeth said lightly. "But he's a very busy man. He doesn't have much time for me – he's always at work."

That wasn't a lie. Graham did work an awful lot, he was always gone for long hours, though Elizabeth knew he wasn't always working at the office while he was gone. No, he was often getting drunk at bars, hitting on young pretty girls – taking them to expensive hotel rooms and then coming home later smelling of booze and cheap perfume. Elizabeth had pretended to be asleep at first but then realized that it hadn't done her any good. Graham would only roughly shake her, forcing her to come out of her feigned sleep and then press her to fill his sexual desires.

"Hmm," Raphael breathed, almost to himself. Elizabeth was sure he didn't believe her but she was relieved he didn't press her for more details.

"Raphael?" Elizabeth asked cautiously.

"What?"

"What happened to those two guys? The ones at the park?"

"Called da police – dey took one of 'em inta custody. Da other one got loose – dey're still lookin' fer him."

"When you were fighting them – in the park I mean. You didn't want me to see you did you?"

"Why do ya say dat?" Raphael's tone was sharp, defensive.

Elizabeth swallowed hard, realizing that this was something Raphael had hoped she wouldn't bring up.

"Well, you got those guys away from me, but you kept to the shadows. I never even saw your face." Elizabeth explained.

Raphael didn't answer.

"You aren't the same as everyone else are you?" Elizabeth guessed. "That's why you didn't want me to see you – that's why it is so dark in here. You don't want me to see you."

"Seein' me won't do ya any favors, 'Lizbeth," Raphael growled.

"I'd like to see you, Raphael. I want to see who it was that rescued me."

Raphael was silent. Elizabeth waited but he was like a statute, he didn't move and he didn't answer her.

"Please?" Elizabeth begged.

"Guess it couldn't hurt – yer gonna have ta see me sometime," Raphael sighed. She heard his chair squeak a bit as he shifted. Then without warning a small lamp on the desk was flipped on and flooded the room with light.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Elizabeth blinked her eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness of the room. Her eyes watered with the sudden change, blurring her vision even further. She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, then opened them again blurrily. It wasn't as painful now, her vision started to clear as she slowly adapted to the light. Then she shifted her eyes to Raphael, who hadn't moved from his chair next to her bed side.

Elizabeth felt her mouth pop open in shock, almost positive now that her eyes were playing tricks on her. The large turtle was leaning back in the chair he sat on, his arms cross over the front of his… shell? Elizabeth's eyes soaked in every little detail of her strange savior.

She had no doubt that he was a turtle, the large shell on his back justified that and so did the protective plates on his front. His skin was a deep rich colored green, much darker than she would have expected for any turtle. But still she found the color of his skin fascinating. She thought back to when he had touched her or when she had touched him, trying to remember how that strange green skin had felt. She couldn't recall properly, but she was entranced. She longed to run her fingers over his hand, just to feel that odd green skin once more.

She found her brow puckering when she saw the strange leather pads on his wrists and elbows. What were those for? Her curiosity peaked when she saw similar ones on his knees. And then a glint of silver coming from his left side made her shrink back a little, she could see some kind of weapon hanging from his belt. It wasn't like anything she'd ever seen before. It looked like something Hollywood would use for an action packed combat movie. The fork like weapon had three long prongs, but the middle prong was by far the longest, the tip ending in a very sharp point, she shuddered and looked away from the dangerous weapon – not at all sure if she wanted to know what he used them for.

She let her eyes continue to roam his strange body. Her eyes bulged a little as she saw the definition of his muscles, and she saw his mouth twitch from the corner of her eye – almost as if he had smirked. Her eyes immediately darted to his face, just to see, but his face was carefully blank. The only thing that seemed animated on his face were his eyes. _His eyes. _

Elizabeth found herself captivated by his eyes. They were the strangest color she'd ever seen. They were amber, and the burned behind the red mask he wore. She found it strange that a turtle would have to wear a mask, but she pushed that thought aside as she found herself pulled in deeper by those burning eyes. She could see he was weary of her, uncomfortable with her staring, but something else lingered there, something she couldn't identify.

Raphael looked away, and Elizabeth released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding when those strange eyes released her. She drew in another grateful breath and looked away from him, closing her eyes and focusing on breathing in through her nose.

Raphael hadn't been at all what she had expected in a rescuer. Who could have ever imagined such an impossible thing? From the way he sat in the chair, his arms crossed, leaning back, one leg draped over the other she was certain that this turtle wasn't your ordinary pond turtle. In fact he looked… bipedal. Was it possible that this creature walked on two legs just like a human?

And what was with the mask? Why did he have to wear it? And why did he carry those fork like weapons? She had so many questions she wanted to ask him, but she bit her lip, not wanting to irritate him with her curiosity.

Still, Elizabeth thought with a slight smile, Raphael intrigued her. And though he wasn't what she had expected she couldn't help but admit to herself that she found him beautiful. She could feel his eyes on her again, she took a deep steadying breath to calm down her skipping heart and turned to look at him again.

Raphael's head was cocked to one side, as if he too found her quite interesting. A smirk was now pulling at his… did he even have lips Elizabeth wondered. Still she couldn't help but admit to herself that he was indeed smirking at her. His eyes were still slightly cautious but Elizabeth could tell that her initial reaction upon seeing him hadn't been what he had expected. Elizabeth figured that most people encountering him probably wouldn't have taken it quite so coolly, but she had learned long ago that screaming and panicking to things often brought trouble.

Not that she thought Raphael would hurt her. Why would he have brought her to where ever she was just to hurt her? Why would he save her life if he intended on killing her? That made no sense to her, and even though she had only known Raphael for a short time, she couldn't help but feel safe with him.

"You… you're a turtle," Elizabeth finally said, a bit lamely. She could feel the heat in her cheeks as she blushed. She had hoped she would have been able to say something more interesting than that.

Raphael cocked an eye ridge at her. "Nothin' gets by ya does it?"

Elizabeth's blush deepened.

Raphael shifted, as if to get up, and suddenly Elizabeth forgot her embarrassment.

"You aren't leaving are you?" Elizabeth pleaded, trying to sit up but the pain in her shoulder stopped her.

Raphael eyed her wearily, frowning a little now.

"Please, I didn't mean to… I mean I wasn't trying to… " Elizabeth said quickly, one hand reaching out towards him.

"Ya didn't do nothin' – I'll be back." Raphael said quickly, cutting her off. He got up quickly and walked out of the infirmary.

Elizabeth bit her lip as she watched the turtle leave the small room. She couldn't even hear the faintest of sounds as he disappeared from her sight. That caught her off guard, even when Graham was at his top form he always made some kind of noise when he walked.

Elizabeth sank back against her pillows, grimacing a little at the sharp pains in her shoulder. She glanced down and saw a fresh patch of red soaking through the white gauze.

"No wonder," Elizabeth muttered to herself as she touched the soiled pad with her fingertips.

"Hey there."

The new voice was so unexpected that Elizabeth jumped and turned startled towards the door that Raphael had just exited.

A new turtle was entering the small room. Elizabeth stared at him wide-eyed. This turtle was quite similar to Raphael, but very different as well. His skin was much lighter in color than Raphael's, it was more of an olive tone. He too had the same weird pads on his elbows, wrists and knees, but he didn't have those strange fork like weapons Raphael had carried on his belt. Instead there was a long stick strapped behind his shell, as she watched he pulled the bo staff from its position and leaned it up against the wall before approaching her. He carried himself differently too Elizabeth noticed, Raphael's shoulders had been slightly hunched over, and the muscles in his neck were stiff as if he'd been tense about something. This turtle carried himself in a more relaxed way, one arm relaxed at his side while the other was holding a cup of coffee. He offered her an easy smile as he set the mug down on the table, and looked at her from behind a purple mask.

"Raph told me you were awake. It's Elizabeth right?"

Elizabeth jerked her head in a quick nod automatically. With her uninjured arm she clutched the sheet tighter to her bare chest.

"I'm Donatello, Raph's brother. I'll take a look at your shoulder and see how it's doing."

Elizabeth wasn't sure if she was comfortable with Donatello playing doctor on her. It was bad enough that he had removed her clothes while she had been unconscious. What else had he done? Had he been staring at her? Touching her? The fact that Donatello was a turtle didn't make any difference to her. She was utterly horrified that she had been in a position where she could have been taken advantage of and not even known about it. Elizabeth edged back a little, her green eyes wide with horror at the thought.

Donatello hadn't moved from where he stood, he was staring at her with rich brown eyes that reminded Elizabeth a bit of melting chocolate. They were much warmer than Raphael's had been, more friendly, but Elizabeth could see the smile fading from his face as he stared at her. Some of the warmth from his eyes drained a little as he stared at her and Elizabeth suddenly had the impulse to run.

"Are you in pain?" Donatello suddenly demanded, frowning now.

Elizabeth shook her head quickly.

"It looks like a few stitches might have popped, I'll have to replace them if they did," Donatello said finally taking a step towards her.

Elizabeth's eyes were as wide as they could go, her heart was racing frantically in her chest, she was surprised that this new turtle couldn't hear it. She couldn't breathe. Her throat was closing off, cutting off her voice and with it her ability to scream.

* * *

><p>Raphael stepped out of the bathroom, stretching his arms over his head and yawning. He was starting to feel his long night, not that he hadn't stayed awake all night before, but when he did it was because he was out on patrol and had slept a good portion of the day… or if one of his brothers had been injured and he had too much adrenaline pumping through his veins to even think about sleeping. Last night hadn't been either. He hadn't felt the same way about this strange girl as he did for his brothers, he'd merely brought her down here because she had insisted on no hospital. He hadn't even thought about the consequences of bringing her down here at the time, but he knew it would have its drawbacks. Leonardo especially would want his shell when he found out.<p>

As he made his way slowly back down the hall and towards the infirmary Leonardo stepped out of the kitchen, a cup of tea cradled in one hand, his twin katana resting on his shell. Raphael was sure that Leonardo had just gotten in from his morning training run. Leonardo's eye ridges raised in surprise when he saw him, then he frowned a little.

"You're up early, Raph."

"Dat against da rules now, fearless leader?" Raphael asked testily.

Leonardo scowled at him, clearly not appreciating Raphael's tone. "Never heard you come in last night."

"I'm big enough not ta need a babysitter, Leo. Ya don't gotta wait up fer me," Raphael snapped.

Leonardo narrowed his eyes, studying his brother critically. "What time did you get in, Raph? You look like you haven't slept all night."

"So what?"

"Were you out all night?" Leonardo demanded.

"No."

"Then what were you doing up all night?"

Raphael shifted his weight as Leonardo's eyes scanned him critically, he knew his brother was searching for hidden injuries.

"I ain't hurt, Leo – stop lookin' at me like dat."

Leonardo nodded once, satisfied that Raphael was telling the truth. His face relaxed a little and his eyes softened a bit.

"Listen, Raph, about last night… I was… "

"Ferget it, Leo," Raphael said waving him off.

"But I shouldn't have… " Leonardo started.

"Leo, just ferget it. I shouldn't have said dem things neither."

Leonardo smiled now. "Well you'd better go get some sleep, you might be able to get in an hour or so before the morning training session."

"Yeah, I'll do dat – just gotta see Donny first."

"He's in the lab I think," Leonardo said looking towards Donatello's open lab door. The lights were on, but no sound came from inside. Raphael knew that was because Donatello was busy in the infirmary, but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to tell Leonardo about Elizabeth just yet.

"Raph!"

Donatello came hurrying out of his lab, his face strained with droplets of perspiration beading his face just above his mask. Raphael felt his stomach twist uncomfortably.

"I need your help in there – she won't let me get anywhere near her and I know she tore some of those… " Donatello stopped mid sentence as he noticed Leonardo for the first time.

Leonardo scowled at Donatello then turned his glare on Raphael. "What's he talking about, Raph? Is April in there? Is she hurt?"

"It ain't April, Leo," Raphael growled. He glared at Donatello who shrank a little under Raphael's angry expression.

"RAPH!" Leonardo barked. Raphael turned his glare towards him again. "What is Donny talking about?"

"Leo, can we do this later?" Donatello interjected. "I really need Raph in the infirmary right now."

Leonardo scowled as Raphael brushed past him, glaring after the both of them as they hurried into towards the lab and infirmary.

"What's dis about, Donny?"

"She won't let me get near her. I'm almost positive that she's torn some stitches in that shoulder, but I don't know for sure because she won't let me get within five feet of her."

Raphael snorted in disgust. "She's a hundred and ten pound girl, Donny – and ya can't handle 'er by yerself?"

"Raph, she refuses to let me touch her. I could tie her down but what good do you think will come of that? She doesn't know where she is, or who I am and you are honestly surprised that she won't let me touch her?"

"She didn't seem ta mind me bein' close ta 'er," Raphael growled impatiently.

"That's because you are her safe haven," Donatello explained.

Raphael cocked an eye ridge at him, not bothering to hide his skepticism. "What exactly is dat supposed ta mean?"

"Raph, think about it," Donatello explained patiently. "If Elizabeth was in a physically abusive relationship then she would naturally be weary of strangers. But when you showed up last night and saved her it made her feel protected for the first time in probably a long time. She feels safe with you because you helped her – but she knows nothing about the rest of us so naturally she wouldn't be as comfortable with us."

"Dat's da stupidest thing I ever heard, Donny," Raphael snapped.

Donatello shrugged casually as they got closer to the infirmary. "If that's how you feel about it, Raph. But I think she might be more cooperative if you stayed in there with her while I patched her up."

"Great now I gotta babysit too?" Raph snarled under his breath.

"You brought her back here, Raph. Until she is well enough to travel you're going to have to help us out in taking care of her. I doubt she'll do any better with Mikey, Leo, or Master Splinter."

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get dis over with," Raphael said impatiently as he made his way into the infirmary. His eyes widened a little when he saw the empty cot and despite himself his eyes darted frantically around the room looking for the girl.

Donatello, however, didn't seem surprised that Elizabeth wasn't on the cot. He made his way further into the room and stopped a few feet away from the far corner of the room, crouching down a little to make himself less intimidating.

"Elizabeth, I brought Raphael back – do you want him to stay with you while I patch up your shoulder?" Donatello asked, his voice deliberately soft and gently.

Raphael walked up behind his brother and paused just behind Donatello's shell as he caught sight of the Elizabeth's huddle form.

She was still wrapped up in one of the sheets from the cot, but she was curled up as tight as her body would allow her to be. Her long dark hair was now tangled and matted as it hung around her face, hiding her eyes from them both. She kept her head tipped down staring at the floor as Donatello spoke to her, but Raphael could see her nostrils flaring as she sucked in sharp uneven breaths. Even under her dark curtain of hair Raphael could see that whatever color she had had in her cheeks before had been drained, whether it was from the pain or fear Raphael couldn't tell. Her bad arm was crushed against her chest, clutching the sheet to her breasts to give her some decency and her other hand was clutching at the blood soaked gauze pad on her injured shoulder.

Raphael gently tapped Donatello's shoulder, Donatello looked up at him, nodded once and rose swiftly, giving Raphael room. Elizabeth flinched at Donatello's quick movement and seemed to shrink even more against the wall.

Raphael slowly made his way to Elizabeth's side then crouched down beside her, balancing on the balls of his feet and draping one arm across his bent knee. He didn't touch her, but peered at her through the dark curtain of her hair. He could see those deep green eyes were looking back at him, the fear in them receding a little.

"'Lizbeth, Donny is just tryin' ta help ya. He won't hurt ya," Raphael said, keeping his voice as gentle as he could.

Elizabeth's eyes darted back to where Donatello stood a few feet away before turning back to Raphael again.

"Yer gonna get an infection in dat wound if Donny don't get it closed up," Raphael said evenly. "I'll stay with ya if ya want me ta. But I promise dat Donny won't hurt ya – none of my brothers would."

Elizabeth didn't move, she stay where she was glued to the wall, watching Raphael with those penetrating green eyes of hers, searching his face for something that Raphael couldn't quite determine. After several long minutes though Elizabeth reluctantly bobbed her head once.

"Come on," Raphael said holding a hand out to her, once again careful not to touch her first. "I'll help ya up."

Elizabeth hesitated for only a minute before her long pale fingers released the bloody gauze and hesitantly touched his leathery green hand. Raphael couldn't help but notice that her hand was considerably warmer than his, he felt the heat shoot up his arm like he'd been shocked and gasped in surprise. Elizabeth's own eyes seemed to widen in surprise, as if she had felt the same current of electricity as well.

Raphael shook off the weird sensation and gently pulled Elizabeth to her feet, being careful to keep his eyes on her face as she pressed her injured arm tighter against the sheet, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as they made their way back to the small cot.

Once Elizabeth had been settled back on the cot Raphael moved around to her uninjured side so Donatello would have room to work. He heard Elizabeth's breathing pick up a little as Donatello approached and saw her free hand grasping desperately at the pale sheets.

"Elizabeth, I need you to relax your arm," Donatello said quietly as he pulled out a needle and thread. "I can't stitch you back up properly if your arm is tensed up like that."

Elizabeth clutched at the sheet even tighter as if expecting Donatello to suddenly rip it off her.

Raphael placed a hand on Elizabeth's good shoulder and her eyes automatically swiveled towards him.

"Donny ain't gonna do nothin' but stitch ya up," Raphael assured her.

To his utter surprise Elizabeth seemed to believe him where she hadn't believe Donatello she let Donatello gently maneuver her bad arm away from her chest and set it down on the cot beside her. Donatello then went to work, gently peeling the blood soaked bandage away from her skin.

Elizabeth wasn't even looking at him, she was staring at Raphael, her eyes wide with fear and her breathing fast and uneven. Raphael squeezed her shoulder gently, realizing that she was focusing on him to distract herself from what Donatello was doing to her.

Donatello worked silently, his eyes narrowed slightly behind his mask as he concentrated on removing the torn stitches and then restitching the wound. Elizabeth's breathing got a bit heavier when she felt the needle pierce her tender skin but other than that she didn't react.

Finally Donatello placed a clean white gauze pad over the wound and taped it in place. "There that should hold."

Elizabeth sighed, and closed her eyes. A single tear made its way down her cheek and disappeared under her chin.

Donatello hadn't noticed, he had his back to her as he filled a syringe with something. He turned back and softened his expression when Elizabeth tore her eyes away from Raphael to look at him.

"I'm going to give you a painkiller that has a mild sedative," Donatello said showing her the syringe. "It might make you tired but you could use the rest anyway."

Elizabeth looked back to Raphael, who nodded minutely, then she looked back at Donatello and nodded. Donatello made sure not to move too quickly, not wanting to startle her. Then he slipped the needle into her arm and ejected the contents into her blood stream.

As the brothers watched Elizabeth seemed to relax as the painkiller and sedative started to work. She sagged a bit then her eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep.

Donatello sighed and turned to dispose of the syringe.

"Might make 'er tired, Donny?" Raphael asked incredulously.

"Well if I told her it was going to knock her out do you really think she would've let me get close enough to inject her?" Donatello asked.

Raphael looked back at the pale woman on the table and realized his brother was right. "Guess not."

Donatello chuckled softly. "She'll be out for a couple hours, Raph. You might want to get some sleep yourself… well after… " He trailed off looking at his brother nervously over his shoulder.

"After what?" Raphael demanded.

"After you talk to Leo."

Raphael rolled his eyes.

"You are going to have to tell him some time, Raph," Donatello said quietly.

"I know dat," Raphael snapped. He release Elizabeth's shoulder and walked towards the infirmary door. "Better get dis over with," he muttered quietly.

Donatello went about cleaning up the medical supplies, knowing it would be best if he just stayed out of this. It was going to be bad enough with just the two of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys. I managed to finish this next chapter fairly quickly - thanks to me being too sick to do much of anything else. Guess if you do too much it catches up with you doesn't it? Oh well I'd say being able to sit at my computer and write some more of this story was a nice treat for a change. **

**And first of all I'd like to thank those of you who've taken the time to review. I really do appreciate it guys so thank you. **

**Also in the last chapter - with Elizabeth's reaction to Donatello. I meant no disrespect to Donatello I have never thought and never will think that Donatello would be capable of hurting someone in a vulnerable position or that he would do something to someone like Elizabeth. I was merely trying to convey what kind of place Elizabeth was in. She's at a place in her life where she doesn't feel like she can trust anyone and when Raphael told her that his brother had been the one to remove her shirts so he could tend to her wounds she had felt very vulnerable. Being in a vulnerable position often makes someone think the worst of everything that could or would have happened. I've been there I know how it feels. I never intended to offend anyone one though - especially you Donatello fans. I love Donny and would never want to make anyone see him for less than he is. He is one of the sweetest gentlest souls I've ever seen in a character and he has the patience of a saint... most of the time but even Donatello can have his fill of his brothers' interruptions. LOL. But again I apologize if I offended anyone I really didn't mean to. I had Elizabeth see him that way because I knew what this next chapter was going to hold... so I hope this makes up for it. **

**And I've taken my shot at adding some Japanese in this chapter. I'm not perfect I don't speak the language but I gave it my best shot. **

**Ohayō gozaimasu - Good Morning**

**Otosaun - Father**

**Hai - Yes**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

"YOU DID WHAT?"

Donatello flinched as Leonardo's angry yell echoed throughout the lair. Looking quickly over at the cot and making sure that Elizabeth was still out Donatello rose quickly from his chair and hurried out of his lab.

Michelangelo, who had been watching TV had turned around on the couch and was watching his two oldest brothers with wide eyes.

Leonardo and Raphael seemed oblivious to their audience as they glared at each other, both of their bodies were stiff with anger, their well defined muscles bulging.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, RAPH! SHE DOESN'T BELONG HERE!" Leonardo demanded angrily, his eyes narrowed to mere slits behind his blue mask.

"WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TA DO,LEO?" Raphael asked, just as angry as his brother.

"LET THE AUTHORITIES HANDLE IT!" Leonardo growled.

Donatello glanced at Michelangelo who met his eyes quickly before they both turned back to their older brothers, worried about how quickly this fight was escalating.

Raphael ground his teeth together, the muscles in his jaw bunching as he glared at his older brother. His hands balled into fists at his sides, and his shoulders rounded in. Michelangelo moved as if to get up but Donatello held a hand up to him to stop him, he knew that this had been coming from the moment he'd seen Elizabeth in Raphael's arms.

Leonardo had every right to be worried, their very existence depending on secrecy. It was the main reason they didn't bring every human they saved down here – it was why they always struck hard and faded off into the night. They had only had a few exceptions to this rule, but even when they had had their first real Christmas party with their friends they had been careful to blindfold them so no one knew the exact location of the lair. Donatello himself had worked very hard to make sure their security system was always up and running and that the lair was as well disguised as it was possible to be. For anyone who didn't know what to look for they would never find the door in the sewers, and the only humans that really knew where the entrance was were April and Casey and they had been friends long enough to know they were trust worthy with their secret.

But even though Donatello understood Leonardo's worries it didn't make it any easier to see his brothers squaring off against one another. He wasn't at all sure if this would come to blows but he could see from their body language that it wouldn't be long before Leonardo and Raphael both lost control of their tempers. Raphael seemed closer to the breaking point, his body was shaking with barely controlled rage, his breathing uneven, and his eyes taking that glassy hue they took whenever Raphael lost control.

Leonardo seemed to be fighting to get control of his temper, and his eyes left Raphael briefly to look at both Michelangelo and Donatello as if he had suddenly become aware of their presence. He returned his glare to Raphael.

"Take her back, Raphael. Before she wakes up." Leonardo ordered firmly, but his voice much more controlled.

Donatello cleared his throat. "Leo, we can't do that."

Leonardo turned to glare at him, his face stiffening with anger again. "Why not, Donny?"

Donatello shot Raphael a quick look, hoping to convey with his eyes to just let him handle this. Raphael wasn't looking at him he had turned towards the lair door, obviously going out for a run to release some of his anger. Donatello looked back at his oldest brother.

"She isn't stable enough for that, Leo. It'll probably be a couple days and even that isn't for certain."

"And what happens if someone is out there looking for her, Donny?" Leonardo demanded, folding his arms across his plastron.

Donatello barely suppressed his flinch. He was almost certain that someone would start looking for Elizabeth when she didn't return. But they could deal with that after – they could convince her to come up with some sort of story to tell the public about her sudden disappearance. But Donatello worried that whoever had given her those bruises that hadn't been related to the previous evening's events would not be forgiving for her extended absence.

"It isn't like we haven't helped someone out before, Leo," Donatello said, avoiding his brother's question.

"Yeah, Leo," Michelangelo quickly agreed from where he sat on the couch. "We've had humans down here before."

"That's different," Leonardo argued.

"Doesn't seem like it to me, dude. Kinda feels like the first time we brought April down to our old lair," Michelangelo said with a shrug. "Though giving Casey access to the lair at first probably wasn't the smartest thing." He shuddered and turned back to the TV.

Donatello smirked, remembering the first time Casey Jones had ventured down to their second home. It had been years ago now, but it still seemed like yesterday. They had barely known Casey for a couple weeks when the vigilante had ventured down to the subterranean home, right in the middle of their training session. They had been working on mastering balance and invisibility and Casey had accidentally knocked over the bamboo poles they had been balancing on. Splinter, not knowing that they had given Casey access to the lair had been quick to strike out at the unexpected visitor, pinning Casey to the ground. Leonardo had been the first to rush to Casey's rescue, with Donatello following behind quickly explaining who Casey was.

Splinter had released Casey had had gruffly told him that next time he should phone first. He had not been happy that their training session had been interrupted, but Donatello and his brothers had been happy for the break, curious as ever about what had been happening topside. Casey had seemed disappointed when they had been reluctant to go topside with him to bash a few heads in for some nasty wall doodles but had seemed reluctant to leave. He had plopped himself down on the couch to watch TV and Splinter had resigned himself to the fact that their training would have to be delayed until later that evening.

Casey had made a nuisance of himself, inhaling the pizza Michelangelo had left on the couch, smashing the DVD player, ignoring their obvious suggestions that he head home, and finally getting into a wrestling match with Raphael which had lead to Splinter suggesting that Raphael take Casey to the surface to get some fresh air.

Donatello knew that Michelangelo had had a hard time getting over the smashed DVD player, even though Donatello had been able to fix it. And even though Michelangelo and Casey had eventually become good friends it was obvious that Raphael had the closest relationship with Casey. Donatello had predicted that one, Raphael and Casey were very much alike and even though they hadn't cared too much for one another at first they had become fast friends. It was almost like having another brother – another hot headed brother at that. Donatello had heard Michelangelo mumbling in the kitchen not long after that that Raphael's attitude had been bad enough.

Donatello didn't deny that having Casey around sometimes meant extra work when his temper got the best of him, but Casey had proved to be a loyal friend over the years and had gotten them out of more than one tight spot. He was always there when they needed him to be and after he had met and fallen in love with April his temper and cooled dramatically. And it wasn't too long after the turtles returned from their time travel experience to the future that Casey had popped the question and April had accepted his proposal.

They had been married for five years now and were living quite happily in the apartment over April's antique shop.

Still Donatello knew that after the destruction of their third lair, when the alternate dimension Shredder's henchmen Rocksteady and Bebop as well as their arch nemesis Hun had managed to track them down, it had made them all weary of bringing strangers down to their new home. It had taken them a long time to find this place and all of them had grown weary of having their home destroyed. It seemed whenever they got comfortable somewhere something would happen to destroy that peace. First it was the mouser robots destroying their first home of fifteen years, then it had been Karai who had discovered their second lair, seeking vengeance for the banishment of the utrom alien she had grown to love as a father. Leonardo had been on a quest to seek out the Ancient One in Japan and Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Splinter had barely made it out with their lives. Leonardo had later searched them all out and had lead them to their third home, only to have it destroyed just two and half short years later. This fourth lair, while bigger than their last but not as big as their second, had taken months of work before Donatello was happy with the security system and camouflage. But all five of them felt secure in the fact that unless one knew what to look for they'd never find their current lair.

"Mikey that was different - we were different," Leonardo said bluntly.

Donatello studied his battle hardened older brother and realized that Leonardo was right. They weren't the same turtles they had been at fifteen when they had first meet April O'Neil and Casey Jones. They were much more world weary, lessons learned the hard way had often left their marks but none more so than on Leonardo.

His oldest brother had often jumped in the way, putting his body between his brothers and whatever enemy they came across. As a result Leonardo had more scars than any of them. Raphael came in at a close second, but many of the scars that his two big brothers bore were barely visible unless you knew where to look. Unfortunately there was one injury that Leonardo had sustained that would always be visible for the world to see. The large chunk of his carapace that had been shorn off during their confrontation with the Shredder when they had tried to stop him from returning to the stars. Donatello had examined it thoroughly himself when he had removed the bandages to check on Leonardo's stab wound, and had known from the extent of the damage that Leonardo's shell would always be marred with that scar and unfortunately would never be the same again. When the utroms had taken all five of them to their infirmary Donatello had inquired about the rest of his families conditions. Leonardo's injury had worried him the most. They had told him they had had to removed the broken piece of his brother's carapace, but Donatello hadn't seen the extent of the damage for himself for several weeks and when he had he'd felt his stomach clench and his normally even temper boil when he thought about what Karai had done to his brother.

None of them thought of Leonardo any differently, at first all three of them couldn't help but notice the definite chunk of Leonardo's carapace that was missing. But as the weeks passed into months they found themselves staring less and less and eventually had stopped noticing it altogether. In fact by the time they had been taken by the ninja tribunal Leonardo's brothers barely even noticed the missing chunk of Leonardo's carapace. It had just become a part of who their brother was. But others who didn't see Leonardo on a day to day basis noticed it. Faraji, who had grown closest to Leonardo, had one day taken Donatello aside and had inquired about the missing piece of Leonardo's shell. When Donatello had explained all about the Shredder, what he had done to them and what they had had to do to stop him Faraji's face had gone dark and he'd walked away without saying anything else.

Donatello was shaken out of his dark thoughts as Leonardo turned and stormed off to the dojo, Michelangelo and Donatello watched him go, both of them easily able to feel the tension rolling off of him. Clearly Leonardo was not happy about their guest, but Donatello hoped that Leonardo would control his emotions better than this when Elizabeth was feeling up to getting around again. She had been weary of him and he had worked hard to keep his body language and tone as friendly as possible, but so far it seemed as if the only one she trusted was Raphael.

Donatello sighed and turned back to the lab to check on his patient.

"Hey, Donny?" Michelangelo inquired, not bothering to turn back to the TV as his cartoon resumed.

"Yeah, Mikey?" Donatello asked wearily.

"Do you think… well, did Raph do the right thing in bringing her down here?"

Donatello sighed again and looked at his younger brother. "I really don't know, Mikey. But he thought he did and what's done is done so we'll just see how this plays out."

Michelangelo nodded, frowning a little his usual characteristic trademark smile absent for once. He looked back at the dojo where he could hear the sound of Leonardo's twin katana slicing through the air. "Let me know if you need some help, Donny."

The corner of Donatello's mouth pulled up into a slight smile. "Thanks, Mikey." Then he turned and walked back into the infirmary, hoping Elizabeth wouldn't wake up before Raphael returned.

* * *

><p>Leonardo swung his twin katana down in an arch, slicing through an invisible enemy, then spun swiftly on the ball of his foot and sliced through another invisible enemy as if it had been sneaking up on him from behind.<p>

Beads of sweat began to pop on his brow as he brought down each invisible nemesis. He had always felt that hard vigorous training was a good way to release his anger, especially when the argument had been between him and his next youngest brother. He and Raphael had been clashing for a very long time now, no matter what Leonardo did Raphael always had to resist him.

Leonardo knew that Raphael had always been strong willed and hot headed, which made for a very explosive personality. Raphael didn't like being told what to do, he didn't like being forced into line. And the fact that Leonardo had been chosen to lead the team had always gotten underneath Raphael's shell. Leonardo knew it was because he had shown a liking for strategy and order at an early age. He had always taken his ninjitsu training seriously and had worked diligently to be the best he could be, he had never strived to be perfect – only perfectly proficient. It was one of the reasons Raphael had always called him "teacher's pet" and "Splinter Jr.". Leonardo had tried not to let it get to him, he was only doing what he knew was best for his brothers. He had to be at the top of his game at all times if he was to keep his family safe.

He knew that his brothers, Raphael especially, were more than capable of defending themselves in most situations. But he also knew that the world was a dangerous place for all of them, that if at any given moment they let their focus slip at the wrong time it would mean the end of one of them – and Leonardo would never be able to live with himself if that happened. And so he forced himself to try harder, to work harder, to _be _better. He would focus harder where his brothers' focus wavered, he would always be there – between them and whatever dangers the world held for them. His family _was _his world and he'd do everything he could to protect them.

As he brought his swords around again he couldn't help but wonder what his hot headed brother had been thinking when he'd brought the girl down here. Why hadn't Raphael simply followed protocol and let the authorities handle it. He could have waited in the shadows to make sure she was in safe hands, but then he should have faded away into the night and this girl would have been none the wiser to who they were or who had saved her.

Raphael had told him that she had begged him not to call the authorities, that she had been desperate to try and stop him. But that didn't change anything. The police and paramedics were much better suited to handle her kind of situation. The fact that someone topside was probably searching for her put them all at greater risk.

Leonardo's teeth clenched together as he brought his leg around in a roundhouse kick then dropped down to his knees and swept his leg around to knock his invisible opponent's legs out from under him. Then he got quickly to his feet and brought his katana up, blocking a blow, twisting and arching his body so gracefully that it seemed effortless.

Finally he stopped, panting a little as the muscles in his arms began to ache. He let his arms rest, the tips of his katana touching the workout mats as he fought to catch his breath.

"You are troubled, my son?" A calm peaceful voice asked from the door of the dojo.

Leonardo's head snapped up to see Splinter watching him, he had been so caught up in his practice he hadn't even been aware that he had an audience.

Leonardo automatically bowed respectfully then sheaved his twin katana and stepped forward towards Splinter, dropping to his knees in front of him.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Otousan," Leonardo whispered.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Leonardo," Splinter greeted, bowing his head in return. Splinter waited for a few minutes then when Leonardo refused to break the silence he tried again. "What is it that troubles you, Leonardo?"

"I… I'm not sure, Master Splinter. I just don't… something doesn't feel right about the… well, who Raph brought home last night." Leonardo said keeping his eyes down on the floor mats.

"You fear the girl, my son?" Splinter asked, cocking one eyebrow at the top of Leonardo's head inquisitively.

"It's not her – it's just that… " Leonardo hesitated for a minute. "What if others are looking for her, Master Splinter? Raphael should not have brought her to our home."

"Leonardo, our very lives depend on keeping our existence a secret but that does not mean we turn our backs on those who need help," Master Splinter chided gently.

"Hai, Master Splinter," Leonardo said bowing his head even further.

Splinter leaned forward and grasped Leonardo's chin, bringing his son's face up so he could look into his eyes. Leonardo's eyes were hard and his mouth set in a tight line.

Splinter sighed. "Leonardo, your brother did what he thought was best."

"Hai, Sensei – but he might have uprooted our family trying to do what he thought was best," Leonardo snapped angrily.

"Leonardo," Splinter reprimanded, his tail lashing a bit in his anger. Leonardo dropped his eyes away from Splinter's face, and drew in a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger he could feel boiling beneath the surface.

"Leonardo," Splinter said, his voice gentler this time. "Perhaps your brother felt he had no other choice than to bring her to our home. The girl was frightened and injured, and your brother was alone. Donatello has told me that the girl asked that Raphael not call the authorities for her. She must have had her reasons for that."

"But, Master Splinter – if someone finds out that we have her! If they come looking for her and find us… what are we to do? Where are we to go?"

"Life is constantly changing, Leonardo. You and your brothers have faced many changes over the past few years, some of them good and others that have been hard. But we must move with change, fighting against such things is a waste of one's energy."

Leonardo's frown deepened.

"I understand your fears, Leonardo," Splinter said gently. "But you must not allow your fears to cloud your vision. You must push past your fears to do the right thing."

Leonardo closed his eyes and allowed his stiff shoulders to drop. "Hai, Master Splinter.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth's mind felt very foggy and her head felt heavy. She rolled her head to the side and pulled open her heavy lids, they shut again almost immediately. They were just so heavy.<p>

What had that turtle given her anyway?

Elizabeth fought the heaviness of her eyelids and once again pulled them open. She blinked a few times, trying to push away the exhaustion that still tugged at her.

The room she was in was dimly lit, a single light was on at desk and a computer fan hummed quietly. The chair was turned at a slight angle as if someone had been sitting at the desk but had left the room recently. Elizabeth blinked again and felt the exhaustion fade a little.

She shifted her heavy body, trying to find a more comfortable position, but her arm twinged a bit and she stopped. She rolled her head back, staring up at the black ceiling.

How long had she been here now? Was Graham looking for her? Did he have his friends searching the streets for her body? What would he do when he found her?

She shivered underneath the thin sheet and pulled it tighter against her chest with her uninjured arm.

"Elizabeth?" A soft voice asked from the direction of the door.

Elizabeth rolled her head slowly and blinked her heavy eyes, trying to bring the figure into focus. As he moved further into the light Elizabeth could see that olive tone to his odd skin and the purple mask around his eyes.

Donatello.

Elizabeth's body was still too heavy from whatever drug he had given her for her to do more than move her head loosely on her neck, but she watched him quickly set down a mug with steaming liquid on the desk then approach her cautiously.

"I didn't think you'd wake up so soon," Donatello said gently pulling back one of her eyelids and peering into her eyes. "Are you in any pain?"

"No," Elizabeth whispered, her tongue moving sluggishly in her mouth.

Donatello frowned slightly then turned his back, retrieved something from his desk and was suddenly cupping the back of her head in one hand while he pressed the mouth of a water bottle to her lips with the other.

"Here, drink this – it'll help," Donatello reassured her.

Elizabeth drank gratefully, feeling the cool liquid soothe her parched throat.

"Slowly – small sips," Donatello warned pulling the bottle back from her mouth a little.

Elizabeth tried to listen but she was so thirsty. She took a huge gulp and choked, the water refilling her mouth and dribbling from the corners of her mouth.

Donatello eased her up a bit further, saying something but Elizabeth couldn't make out the words. It took her a minute but finally she was able to breathe properly again and Donatello offered her a bit more water before helping her to lay back down again.

Elizabeth sighed as her body relaxed against the pillows again. She watched as Donatello placed the half empty bottle of water on his desk then pick up his steaming mug and taking a sip. He then grabbed his chair and pulled it up next to her bed.

"I'm going to do a quick check on your wound and make sure your vitals are ok. Are you ok?"

Elizabeth stared at the purple banded turtle, seeing those chocolate brown eyes staring at her with concern, his mouth twisted a little in a slight smile as he stared at her. But she saw no longing in those eyes… no sign of the lust that Graham always held in his eyes whenever he wanted her – nor the hungry look that the man who's face she had seen clearly last night had held. His eyes were friendly, and concerned, and his smile genuine.

And suddenly she felt the heat rise in her cheeks as her first thoughts of this turtle flooded her mind. The thought that he had actually done something to her when she had been out. Of his large hands touching her…

Donatello's eye ridges rose when Elizabeth's cheeks went pink. "Would you rather wait for Raphael to come home before I do this?"

Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head. "I'm ok."

Donatello frowned, unsure.

"Really," Elizabeth promised, putting more strength behind her voice. "I'm fine."

Donatello still didn't look convinced, but rather than argue with her he nodded once then reached across her body to gently pull back the white gauze.

Elizabeth could feel his warm breath on her skin and the gentleness of his fingers as he pulled away the tape and bandage. It only took a few seconds and she was sure he was satisfied with what he'd seen because she felt him replaced the bandage and tape then his fingers slid to her neck and rested against her jugular for several long seconds.

His skin was so strange. When Raphael had touched her earlier his hands had been so rough, almost calloused. But Donatello's hands were much smoother, not so torn up. Elizabeth forced herself to breathe evenly while Donatello pressed gently against her neck.

Then suddenly he pulled away, leaning back in his chair. "Your blood pressure has come up, which is good. It was down pretty low when Raph brought you in last night. I wasn't sure if you were going to make it. It still isn't as high as it should be though. And unless you want us to get you to a hospital I don't think you should leave until it gets a little higher."

"No hospital," Elizabeth said, reaching forward and catching his hand with her good one.

Donatello jerked, startled, his eye ridges rising high over his mask.

Elizabeth ignored this. "Please," she pleaded, tightening her fingers around his hand. "No hospital."

Donatello nodded and gently released her fingers from his hand. "We won't take you to the hospital if you don't want to go, Elizabeth."

Relieved at Donatello's words Elizabeth relaxed again and let Donatello pull the sheet up underneath her chin.

"Tha… thank you," Elizabeth whispered.

Donatello smiled, although it didn't seem to quite reach his eyes. "You should get some more rest, Elizabeth."

"Wh… where's Raphael?" Elizabeth asked, ignoring Donatello's instructions. She didn't want to sleep anymore right now. She wanted some answers. Like where she was and how she had come to be with these two giant turtles.

"He went out for a run," Donatello said reaching for his steaming mug again.

"A run?" Elizabeth asked, surprised that these giant turtles could simply go out for a run and not be seen by anyone. Still they had to keep those muscles of theirs in shape somehow she mused.

"He usually goes out to blow off steam after he and Leo go at it," Donatello said with a shrug.

"Leo?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

Donatello paused and studied her for a long minute. Finally he nodded.

"I'm not Raph's only brother," Donatello explained. "We've got two more – Leonardo and Michelangelo."

"Renaissance artists," Elizabeth breathed.

Donatello chuckled quietly and nodded. "Our father named us after the Renaissance artists when he found an old art book in the storm drain."

"A storm drain? Like in the sewers?"

Donatello frowned now and shifted a little, obviously uncomfortable. "Well, we can't just walk around like you humans can in broad daylight can we? So where else are we going to live?"

"I had no idea there were places like this in the sewers," Elizabeth said tearing her eyes away from the turtle and around the small room.

Donatello chuckled again, with more warmth behind the sound. Elizabeth suddenly found her own mouth tugging into a smile at the sound. Donatello's laugh was rich and warm, much like the color of his eyes. It would make anyone feel at ease.

"Donny?"

The new voice made Donatello's chuckling cut off abruptly and Elizabeth's eyes widened a little as another turtle stepped into the room. This one was very different from Donatello in the way he held himself.

His body was rigid, obviously stressed, his eyes too were brown but they held none of the warmth that Donatello's had. His muscles were more defined than Donatello's, much more like Raphael's were. He too wore the strange pads, but unlike the others he had a strap that crossed diagonally across his plastron and held what looked like two swords on his shell. His cold brown eyes narrowed a little behind his blue mask as he saw her staring at him, then he looked at Donatello again.

"Mikey said dinner will be ready in five minutes. Have you heard from Raph?"

Donatello shook his head. "You know Raph, Leo. He'll come home when he's ready."

Leonardo huffed angrily then turned and marched out of the infirmary. Elizabeth gasped and her eyes widened when she a good chunk of Leonardo's shell was missing. It started at the outer edge and traveled almost to the middle, although she wasn't sure because his sheathed swords hid the edge of his injury, but she was almost positive that it was long enough to almost reach the middle of his shell.

She turned inquisitive eyes to Donatello but he just shook his head. "It's a long story, Elizabeth. Are you hungry? If you got some sugar in your system it'd help your body rebuild its blood count and you could use the nourishment anyway."

Elizabeth hesitated, then nodded.

"I'll bring you back something," Donatello said. He grabbed his mug, gave her a reassuring smile and slipped out the door, leaving her alone in the semi darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN CONTINUED: As you can see I wanted Elizabeth to realize that first impressions aren't always what they seem, Leo might be acting cold but he is just worried about what dangers having Elizabeth staying with them will bring to his family. But Donatello's quiet way with going about things, and his gentle manner have turned Elizabeth's views on how our gentle mild mannered genius turtle really is. I hope that this chapter has made up for chapter three for those of you who didn't feel like I did Donatello any favors... I just had to have Elizabeth see things a certain way for this story to progress as it does. Thanks again for those who take time to review and I'll try to update again soon. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys, first of all thank you again for those of you who've taken the time to review. I really do appreciate it. Sorry this chapter took me a bit longer to get written. This weekend was so busy between school, work, my husband's birthday, trying to find a new job, grooming dogs, helping out my Dad, and dog sitting my Dad's dog overnight. I was completely and utterly exhausted and I tried working on this - got a few pages done and really really hated it. But today at work I got lucky - as I always do when I'm at work. For some reason that is when inspiration loves to hit. So I came home and worked furiously on this chapter and got it written just the way I wanted it to be. So I hope you guys enjoy it. I'll update again when I can but I've got a final to study for next week as well as my sister's baby shower and Dad's birthday. So those things are my main focus right now but I promise I'll update again as soon as I can. At least I didn't leave it on a cliff hanger. :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

"How much longer is she going to be here, Donny?" Leonardo demanded as soon as Donatello entered the kitchen.

Donatello sighed quietly. "I don't know, Leo. She refuses to go to the hospital and her blood pressure is still too low for her to be on her own. Until it stabilizes more she's going to have to stay here."

"Come on, Leo," Michelangelo coaxed as he set a bowl of rice down on the table. "With April and Casey in California with April's sister it's kind of nice to have a guest stay here."

Leonardo scowled but didn't say anything. He busied himself by spooning some rice onto his plate.

Donatello sat down opposite Leonardo and helped himself to the rice and green beans. "Hey, Mikey?"

"Yeah, Donny?"

"Would you mind fixing something for Elizabeth? I don't know how her stomach is going to react with those painkillers and I think fried fish might be too hard on it."

"Sure, Donny," Michelangelo agreed easily as put a plate of fried fish on the table next to Leonardo's plate. He gave his brother an easy smile as he sat down, which Donatello gratefully returned.

"Hey, where's Master Splinter?" Michelangelo asked, just noticing for the first time their sensei's absence.

Leonardo shot a worried look at the paper rice sliding door that separated Splinter's quarters from the rest of the lair. "He said he wasn't feeling very well, Mikey. He'll eat later."

"He hasn't been feeling good a lot lately," Michelangelo said, stabbing his fork into the pink fish moodily.

"Garden rats don't have a very long lifespan, Mikey," Donatello said quietly. "The average rat only has the life span of a year, but even in captivity their life span is only… " He trailed off when Leonardo shot him an angry glare.

Michelangelo's face was stricken, his blue eyes wide behind his orange mask. "But Master Splinter isn't… I mean he's different."

"We all are, Mikey," Leonardo said patting his little brother's arm comfortingly. "Master Splinter is fine, he's just a little tired tonight is all."

Michelangelo still didn't look convinced and Donatello was sure that Leonardo was going to chew him out for it later. He poked his own fork into the pink fish, no longer very hungry.

The three brothers picked at their meal in silence, none of them looking up from their plates. Finally Michelangelo stood up, his food barely touched and walked over to the sink to scrape the remains into the drain.

Donatello pushed his rice around with his fork as he watched his younger brother, noting the stiffness of his brother's shoulders as Michelangelo rinsed off his plate and set it aside for washing later.

Leonardo gave Donatello another sharp look before rising and heading to the sink. Michelangelo took the plate from him and ran in under the hot water.

"Is there something specific you want me to make fore Elizabeth, Donny?" Michelangelo asked, not bothering to turn around.

"Just something easy on the stomach, Mikey. Soup or oatmeal – something like that."

Michelangelo nodded, wiped his hands on the hand towel and pulled out a small pot from the cupboard.

"Why don't you save some for Master Splinter, Mikey?" Leonardo suggested.

Michelangelo's eyes brightened a little as he reached for the container of oatmeal. "Sure, Leo."

Leonardo smiled before heading for the dojo. He had only made it halfway across the living room when he heard the unmistakable sound of Donatello's security lock clicking and then the front door opened announcing Raphael's return.

Leonardo waited, arms folded across his plastron as his brother walked into the lair. "You missed dinner."

"Casey had leftover Chinese – I'm not hungry," Raphael grunted.

"Look, Raph," Leonardo said, trying to keep his voice calm although the look his brother gave him made his irritation flicker. "I'm not happy about this girl being here. But Donny says she has to stay here until she has stabilized some more, so until she leaves I don't think we should be out running patrols. We don't need to draw the attention of someone who could be out there looking for her. The last thing we need are more unexpected and unwelcomed guests down here."

"Whatever, fearless leader," Raphael growled pushing past his brother. "Donny told me dat she'd probably be gone in a few days anyway."

Without another word he made his way up the stairs to his room. Leonardo shook his head and stalked off to the dojo.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth opened her eyes, feeling the tears stinging them. She had heard Raphael and Leonardo's quick conversation, although she was almost sure that they weren't aware that their voices had carried to this room. But was that all she was to these brothers? And unwelcome unexpected house guest? A burden to them? She didn't want to be a burden to these strange creatures. Raphael may have saved her life but he didn't owe her anything – she owed him not the other way around. She shouldn't be pressing her company on them. She knew that Donatello had told her that she wasn't stable enough to leave the lair unless it was to the hospital, but she was not going to go to the hospital. She wouldn't press her hosts' hospitality any further but she was not going to go there either.<p>

Her only warning of Donatello's return was the soft padding of footsteps before Donatello appeared in the doorway with a steaming bowl in his hands. He gave her a small smile when he saw her.

"Mikey made you some oatmeal," Donatello said stepping over to the cot and handing her the warm ceramic bowl.

Elizabeth barely suppressed a grimace. She detested oatmeal, but she didn't think it would be very good manners to say so. She pressed her lips into a tight smile and swirled the lumpy hot porridge around with her spoon.

Donatello didn't seem to notice Elizabeth's wrinkled nose or the tightness around her eyes as she stared at her meal. He was too busy gathering a few tools from underneath his work bench.

"I'll be back in a little bit," Donatello said giving her another warm smile before hurrying out of the room.

Elizabeth watched him go, she felt her shoulders sag in relief. At least she wouldn't have to force the disgusting hot porridge down her throat in front of Donatello. She frowned down at the lumps, picked up a spoonful and let the lumpy mixture to drop back into her bowl again.

If she had been at home this wouldn't have been a problem, she could have avoided the oatmeal altogether. Graham always insisted that she do the shopping and cook the meals. Of course if she made something he wasn't in the mood for she'd have to cook something else entirely. They didn't eat together often, but when they did Elizabeth found it a very unpleasant experience. Graham would watch her with those steely eyes of his while he shoveled large amounts of food into his mouth. Elizabeth usually pushed her food around on her plate, occasionally hiding some of it in her napkin when Graham wasn't looking. He never seemed to notice, nor did he seem to care that she had lost a lot of weight – in fact he liked her that way.

But as she looked down at her bowl of lumpy oatmeal she knew that this wouldn't be the same case. She gathered that Donatello was much more aware of such things. Even though she had only known him for a short time she got the impression that Donatello was a stickler for details, that he was a much stricter medic than he appeared on the surface and she gathered he wouldn't be happy if she refused to follow his orders.

Tentatively she lifted a spoonful of hot porridge to her mouth and forced it into her mouth. She gagged as the oatmeal touched her tongue, her eyes watered and her throat closed up. She choked as she forced herself to swallow the oatmeal. She coughed a bit and put the spoon down, knowing she wouldn't be able to eat the rest of it. No matter how strict a medic Donatello was. She dug her spoon around a bit in the oatmeal, pushing it up against the sides of the bowl to make a definite dent in the porridge. Then she set the bowl on the floor next to her cot and lay down, hoping that when Donatello returned he would think she was sleeping.

She lost track of the time as she laid there. Her body began to feel heavy and her breathing started to even out when she heard someone come into the room. She heard them lift the cereal bowl from the floor, a hand rested on her forehead briefly, then the footsteps disappeared.

She could hear the sounds of someone moving around outside the room she was in. The hushed voices of whispered conversations, some of them sounding rather heated, and then what sounded like a TV News caster on low volume.

They had a TV down here? How did they get reception in the sewers? Elizabeth's curiosity peaked at that notion. It seemed to her that there was a lot more to these turtles than met the eye. If they had met under different circumstances perhaps she would feel differently about learning more about them. But Leonardo's unfriendliness unnerved her. He appeared to be the turtle that held the most power, or was at least the oldest. She had heard it in Donatello's voice when he had spoken Leonardo's name and when Leonardo had glared at her for that brief moment when she had seen him. He had held a protective glint in his eyes, as if trying to shield his brothers from her. Definitely the oldest she decided.

She couldn't blame him for being wary of her, he knew nothing about her and Raphael had brought her here without giving the others any kind of warning. Donatello had been friendly enough, but she had no idea how Michelangelo felt about her being here. For all she knew he agreed with how Leonardo felt about her being here.

She was sure that if she snuck out while the turtles were sleeping she'd be able to find a manhole and climb out. She'd seen sewer workers climbing in and out of those manholes – so how hard could it be to find one and get out of the sewers? She didn't want to be stopped though so she'd have to wait until the turtles were asleep.

After what seemed like hours the lair outside the room Elizabeth was occupying was quiet. The TV died down and the hushed voices ceased. Still Elizabeth waited, not wanting to get up too soon and run into one of the turtles, especially Leonardo.

She counted the seconds, holding her breath and biting her lip whenever she heard a creak outside then she'd start all over again.

996…. 997… 998… 999… 1000

Elizabeth strained her ears as she listened for any noise coming outside the infirmary. She was met with silence. She smiled a little as she wrapped the sheet around herself and swung her legs over the edge of the cot. She had to find where Donatello had put the shirts he'd taken off her when he'd dressed her wound. She scanned the dark room, her eyes blinking as they adjusted to the dim lighting.

She spotted them after a minute, sitting on a lone stool that was sitting in the corner. Getting quietly to her feet she walked to the stool and picked up her shirt and cotton sweater. But something was wrong. The shape was off, almost like it didn't really have a shape anymore. She touched the material gingerly with her fingers and frowned when she felt the front of the shirt. Donatello had not just removed them from her he'd cut them off. They were both completely ruined.

Elizabeth's eyes filled with angry tears. Now what was she to do? She couldn't very well go around with only a sheet wrapped around her. She didn't have any spare clothes with her and she didn't have any money to even buy a new shirt from a store – even if they were open this late.

She tossed the ruined clothing aside and looked around the small room, hoping to find something that would be decent enough for her to drape around herself so she could leave.

A small faded blanket sat on the foot of the cot, folded neatly. It was thick but warm and she could easily conceal herself within its folds. Knowing she didn't have another choice she exchanged the sheet for the blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders and pinching the front together with her injured hand, leaving her other hand free. She pulled the top of the blanket up over her head, using it as a hood. She was completely concealed.

She had no idea where her shoes were but she didn't care – she could always get new shoes. Graham would probably give her a black eye for losing her shoes, but that would be the least of her worries. She was sure he'd crack a few of her ribs or break her leg when she returned home. He'd yell at her for having him so worried and then beat her until she was flat on the ground at his feet. She shivered inside the warm blanket. She really didn't want to return home – but she didn't want to stay where she wasn't wanted either.

She weighed her options quietly for a minute before stepping out of the infirmary and into the large expansive area of the lair. Her eyes widened as she took in the bookshelf that leaned slightly to one side, many tattered books resting on the shelves. An old battered blue couch sat in front of an entertainment center – which look like at least a dozen TV's of many different sizes all hung on the wall. There was also a large table that held a large gaming system, strewn about with several open game cases, and a tired looking old DVD player.

A faded old armchair sat next to the couch, this one seemed less abused than the couch and Elizabeth gathered that it wasn't used as often. She glanced at it curiously for a minute then hurried across the room, forcing her feet to keep going when she spotted the front door. She grabbed the handle, held her breath as she listened for sounds that she'd been found out and when she found none she opened the door and stepped out into the dark sewers, closing the door quietly behind her.

* * *

><p>Leonardo could see the flickering light of the single candle he had burning for his late night meditation through his closed eyelids. His body was completely and utterly relaxed, he could feel the tension he'd felt all day with having Elizabeth staying at the lair with them leaving his body. Meditating was the only way he could relax with Elizabeth staying here.<p>

He tried to force that from his mind, tried to let his mind relax and forget about her. But she kept popping up to the front of his mind. It wasn't as if they hadn't had guests before and he had never been this tense about. So what was it about Elizabeth that made him so uneasy? Was it because it was someone on the surface could possibly be looking for her? Could it just be for the simple protection of his family that he feared having her here? Or was it something else? Something dark he could feel looming over them?

A shrill alarm had Leonardo's eyes snapping open. Instantly he was on his feet, his candle put out and he was racing out of his room. Donatello too was up but had already reached the lower level, had turned on the lights and was running to his lab. Leonardo recognized the alarm – it was a perimeter alarm warning – someone had tripped something in one of the tunnels surrounding the lair.

This had been what Leonardo had feared – someone was too close to their home for Leonardo's comfort.

Down the hall he could see Raphael and Michelangelo emerging from their rooms, both of them looking extremely tired and half asleep. Leonardo didn't bother with the stairs, but flipped off the landing and landed gracefully on the balls of his feet before hurrying after Donatello.

"What is it, Donny?" Leonardo demanded as he stepped into Donatello's lab.

Donatello was hunched over his computer, tapping several keys furiously. "Looks like the alarm in the south tunnel was trigged when someone hit one of the booby traps."

"The foot?" Leonardo asked, leaning forward to stare at the computer over Donatello's shoulder.

Donatello shook his head. "No, Leo – and I think I know who it is."

"Who?" Michelangelo and Raphael asked together as they joined their brothers.

Donatello turned and pointed to the empty cot, the abandoned sheet strewn on the floor, the old tattered clothes lying discarded next to the stool they had been sitting on. He turned to his older brother. "Looks like she took your hint, Leo. Elizabeth is gone."

* * *

><p>Elizabeth stumbled and leaned up against the slimy sewer wall for support fighting to catch her breath. She was finding it hard to navigate her way through the sewers and that had been before she's tripped over something and had sharp objects flying at her so suddenly it had taken her by surprise. But the real shock had come when she'd felt something small and sharp slice through the flesh of her exposed arm. She carefully pulled it out and tossed it away, feeling hot blood run down her arm as she stumbled away from the booby trap she'd obviously triggered. She'd had no idea that the turtles had set up traps around their lair. She treaded more carefully now, but she was bleeding heavily from the wound on her arm, not so profusely that a severed artery came to mind, but enough to make her a little light headed.<p>

Something with tiny hairy legs crawled down her neck and Elizabeth jumped, swatting away the insect and stepping away from the wall, regretting it instantly when her vision swam again. Still she had to keep going – she couldn't stay here. She had to get to a manhole – had to get out of the sewers. As long as she was down here she was a danger to the turtles, if someone found her down here – someone the turtles were afraid of they might try to use her to find out where the turtles' home was. Not that Elizabeth could tell them even if she'd wanted to. The sewer tunnels were much more expansive and confusing than she'd ever thought they would be. She couldn't believe how quickly she'd gotten turned around once she'd gotten away from the lair.

Being careful to avoid the watered down sewage Elizabeth followed the dark tunnel, praying that a manhole cover would be around the next turn. She was disappointed when there wasn't one.

Her knees shook violently and buckled beneath her, making her throw out her hands to prevent her from landing face first in the stagnant water and other things that Elizabeth really didn't want to think about.

Hot tears splashed down her cheeks and she lay down on the ground too exhausted and sore to move anymore. Why had she left the lair? Why hadn't she just simply told the turtles that she wished to return home? Anything was being better than being stuck in the stinky sewer tunnels alone and injured.

She sniffed pitifully and rolled onto her back, ignoring the slime that coated her dark hair. She wanted Raphael. She closed her eyes, remembering his warmth, his rough voice, his scarred strange skin. She could remember those strange amber eyes behind that dark red mask he wore, those strange weapons he kept on his belt. She'd never gotten around to asking him why he carried them. Why they wore the masks – or how he'd saved her from those men in the park. And now she'd never know.

More hot tears slid slowly down the sides of her face, disappearing into her tangled dark hair. Her throat felt so swollen and raw and her chest ached. Her eyelids were suddenly very heavy and the urge to close them weighed on her. Why was she here again? She couldn't remember.

And then there were footsteps. She knew she should be worried, that someone was quickly approaching her and from the sounds of his heavy breathing it was definitely a male. But she couldn't find the strength to care about who he was or what he wanted. She just wanted to sleep.

"Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth's eyelids flickered at the sound of her name being called but she didn't open her eyes.

"Come on," the voice said lifting her into a strong protective pair of arms. "Everyone is out looking for you."

Elizabeth felt the steady sway of his body as he walked, carrying her with him. She felt him shift her body a little and then a soft click, the sound of a phone ringing and someone answering it on the first ring.

"Leo?" Someone demanded on the other end of the line.

"Raph, it's ok – I found her."

* * *

><p>Consciousness was slow in returning for Elizabeth. But she was sure that she hadn't dreamed either. She wasn't even aware that she had fallen asleep. She had kept hearing those strange voices talking in hushed whispers all around her but could never figure out what they were saying. They were garbled and unfocused, as if she had been listening to them talk while her ears had been underwater. But she was sure she had heard the voices.<p>

She frowned a little keeping her eyes closed as she tried to remember what had happened. She had remembered being at the turtles' home and one of them in particular being worried about her staying with them. So she'd left. She remembered her long trek through the dark tunnels of the sewer but then she'd been in a large black room with the voices occasionally breaking the silence. She wasn't afraid of this black room that she sat in – she'd been here before. In fact she came here quite often when Graham had been drinking too much. In this black room she was safe from his beatings, she was safe from his anger. In this room she was free.

The first thing Elizabeth was aware of was how heavy her body felt. It weighed down on her, crushing her to a familiar cot. _Donatello. _He must have given her more of those painkillers that knocked her out and made it feel as if a big invisible barrier was crushing her to the bed. It would also explain why her eyes refused to open, those painkillers and made her so tired before. But now she fought it, she didn't want to sleep. She wanted to know if she was really back at the lair. Slowly, unwillingly, her eyelids parted and she found herself staring up at the familiar ceiling.

She _was _back in the lair. She recognized it now, the smell, the semi-hard cot she was laying on, the cobweb strewn ceiling. Her arms were flat by her sides, her body once again covered with a light sheet. She could tell Donatello had doctored her again, she could feel the soft rub of the gauze bandages on her skin.

But how did she get back here? And why _was _she back here? She was almost positive that Leonardo did not want her here – it was why she had left in the first place. So how did she manage to get back here? Had the turtles realized she was missing and gone after her? If they had then why didn't they simply take her to the closest hospital and drop her off? It would have been so easy for them. She rolled her head slowly on her pillow, hoping to see Donatello at his desk working the computer there – or silently sipping at his cup of coffee.

But no – Donatello wasn't there. His chair had been pushed under his desk, his computer screen dark. The quiet hum of his computer fan was absent. It was obvious that Donatello hadn't been in here for a while. But, Elizabeth wasn't alone.

A dark silhouette leaned up against the edge of the doorway, looking at her from the shadows he hid in. She couldn't tell who it was from here, but she could feel his eyes on her, keeping a constant vigil. She strained her eyes, hoping to see a glint of color – red or purple maybe? A flash of a warm smile? Anything! Her eyes burned with the strain and watered making more tears trickle down her cheeks. She lifted a hand to brush them away… but she couldn't. Confused she looked down at her hands and her eyes widened in terror.

Soft padded restraints were wrapped around both of her wrists, and a slight twist of her legs told her that similar restraints were strapped around her ankles, keeping her legs pinned as well. Almost at once Elizabeth found it hard to take a breath. She fought back the panic but it crept up on her nonetheless.

And then he was there. She could feel his hot bitter breath on her face, she wrinkled her nose up against the smell, it burned her nose and her lungs. He'd been drinking whiskey again. His hands trapped her wrists, pinning them to the mattress, just as effective as a pair of handcuffs would. His fingers tightened hard enough on her skin to bruise her – she'd have to find something with sleeves long enough to hide those tomorrow. The weight of his body crushed her, she could barely breathe, let alone try to get out from under him. She was trapped. He smiled and stroked a hand down her cheek. She shuddered and shut her eyes as the familiar burn in her abdomen began. She tried to pull her arms free but found them both pinned again, the fact that she was resisting angered him. A sharp stinging blow to the face made her lie still. She stopped fighting. Graham's eyes were wide with delight as he roared with triumph and crushed his lips against hers, sucking the very air from her lungs.

"NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Elizabeth thrashed on the cot, fighting her bonds, trying desperately to escape the straps that held her there.

"I told ya not ta strap 'er down, Donny!" Raphael growled glaring at his younger brother while trying to keep Elizabeth's jerking limbs still long enough for Donatello to unbuckle the straps.

"Raph," Leonardo said calmly from where he stood next to the doorframe. He'd called his brothers in as soon as Elizabeth had begun to fight her restraints. "She tried to sneak off. Who knows where she was going."

"She wasn't goin' ta da foot, Leo – if dat's what yer suggestin'," Raphael snapped angrily as Elizabeth's left arm strained against its restraint.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" Elizabeth screamed, tears escaping from her clenched eyelids.

"Donny! Get dem things off 'er!" Raphael growled, pinning Elizabeth's left arm at the elbow.

"I've almost got… ahh!" Donatello's sentence was cut off with a sharp cry when Elizabeth's right leg, now free from its restraint, had popped up and caught him in the beak. Donatello's eyes watered briefly but he shook it off and quickly released the left ankle restraint.

"'Lizbeth," Raphael growled, leaning in close to her ear. "Donny's not gonna hurt ya – calm down."

All the fight left Elizabeth as quickly as it had started. Both Raphael and Donatello looked down at the limp girl in amazement. They shared a quick glance then both turned and released her arms from their restraints as well.

"Don't put dem things back on 'er, Donny," Raphael warned glaring at his blue banded brother who was still standing by the door.

Donatello was panting heavily and he shook his head. "No – I won't. I don't know what I expected but her reaction was much more severe than I would've expected if I'd thought about it." He looked her over carefully. "Ah, shell. She tore those stitches again."

Raphael looked and grimaced at the fresh patch of red staining the gauze on her shoulder again. Donatello sighed and reached for a pair of scissors, his needle and thread and a fresh gauze patch.

Raphael turned to Leonardo and saw his brother watching Donatello's antics with concern. But it wasn't for Donatello's safety this time. Raphael could see the shift in his brother's eyes. This time the concern was for Elizabeth.

"Leo," Raphael said softly, drawing his older brother's eyes to him. "We've gotta talk."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys. First of all thank you again for those of you who take the time to review. I really do appreciate it. This chapter is a bit shorter... not by much though. I will be working on the next chapter as often as I can in between searching for a new job and getting more practice in at the local animal shelter. Grooming a dog always takes up so much of my time... especially the dogs there they are always so matted and it takes hours to get them done. It has taught me a valuable lesson though, I'll never let my dogs get like that those dogs are so miserable and you never know what you'll find under those mats. Trust me I've found some pretty disgusting and very sad things on some of them. I had no idea what I was getting into when I decided to go to dog grooming school. LOL. But I've got my finals this week... if I pass I graduate Friday. I have my sister's baby shower to throw Saturday and my Dad's birthday. But if I have time with all that stuff I will update again next Sunday. If I get it done before then I'll post it sooner. Thanks as always for your support guys, I really appreciate it. And now on with the next chapter.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

The office was lit with a single light on the mahogany desk, casting most of the large square room into shadows. A man paced back and forth in front of the desk, his arms clasped behind his back, his large square shoulders were hunched forward, his eyes glaring at the ugly beige carpet. His honey colored hair was sleeked back and parted smartly to one side, his jaw clenched so tightly that the muscles bulged along his jaw line. Occasionally he would pause in his agitated pacing and glare at the black phone that sat silent on his desk, as if willing it to ring.

"What could be taking them so long?" Graham Cooper growled as he began to pace once again.

It had been two days already and no one had found a trace of her. What was wrong with these people anyway? What the hell did he pay them for? To sit around and watch as their growing stomachs made their fat hang over the edge of their chairs?

He growled again, low in his throat. When he got a hold of her again he was going to make sure that she would never get away again! He'd fix her up so good she'd think twice about leaving the house for the grocery store let alone anywhere else!

He'd had all the usual places scoured for her, had even had his boys check her friend's places. Nothing. With each failed recovery of his wife Graham got more and more angry.

How dare she do this to him? How dare she make him worry like this? Where could she have gone? He had friends at the police department and they had all told him that Elizabeth had never come in, but if they found her they'd let him know at once.

Graham was ready to extend the search to surrounding states, perhaps Elizabeth had caught a train or a bus out of town? But no that was impossible – Graham knew that he rationed Elizabeth's money well enough that she would never be able to save up enough to pay for such things. If she had left over money after going to the store Graham would claim it for his own, saying he needed it for his expenses. A few extra drinks down at the bar.

A soft knock echoed throughout the room. Graham's head snapped up and he glared at the door, his steely gray eyes narrowed marginally. "What?" He barked, angry at the interruption.

A small mousey man cracked open the door and peeked around the edge. He had brown hair that was plastered to his head, small watery brown eyes, a short pointed nose, and rather large front teeth. He met Graham's stare for a minute then quickly dropped his eyes to the floor.

"Well come in, Jackson! I don't have all night!" Graham snapped impatiently.

Jackson flinched and made his way into the room, quivering a little underneath Graham's hard gaze.

"Speak you incompetent worm!" Graham demanded. "What news have you brought about my wife?"

Jackson quivered and seemed to have trouble swallowing for a minute, then ever so slowly he lifted his head a little to look up at the man towering over him. "We have searched the entire city, Mr. Cooper. We have found no trace of her."

Graham slammed a meaty fist onto his desk and Jackson jumped, cowering under Graham's gaze now.

"Perhaps you and your friends have just not been looking hard enough. Or… " Graham's voice went very soft, and he cocked his head slightly as if sizing Jackson up. "Or perhaps I just have the wrong men looking for her. Perhaps I should find someone who is more willing to get their hands dirty."

Jackson gulped. "Mr. Cooper – I… we have searched for her high and low. It is like she has vanished."

"I don't believe you and your men have been looking hard enough," Graham growled. "Perhaps your replacements will have better luck."

Graham sneered down at the man and unclasped his hands, his right snaking into the waist of his jeans to remove his .22. He released the safety and cocked the gun, Jackson looked up but before his eyes could even widen in shock a gunshot echoed around the room and Jackson was blown back several feet from the impact. He lay still on the carpet, his head cocked to one side, his face still holding that expression of shock, a bullet wound to his chest seeping a dark red stain onto the carpet.

Graham sighed. He'd have to get that carpet replaced again. He'd have Charlotte order the new carpet on Monday. Perhaps a different color this time. One that wouldn't show such stains so easily. Graham rubbed a hand over his eyes and set the gun down on the desk before reaching for the phone. He punched a few numbers and held the phone to his ear, biting the inside of his cheek while he waited impatiently for the other end to pick up.

Finally on the third ring…

"Hey, it's Graham," Graham said not waiting for a response on the other side. "I'm calling in a favor."

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><p>Someone was humming. Elizabeth didn't open her eyes, she waited listening. She heard the soft tap tap tap of flesh on something a bit harder… not wood – but something not fleshy either. Elizabeth frowned, confused. What was that? The humming stopped.<p>

Elizabeth opened her eyes to find herself staring at the now very familiar ceiling. She twisted her wrists and ankles, breathing a sigh of relief when she found them unrestrained.

"Hey, dudette," a warm voice called from beside her. Elizabeth rolled her head on the pillow to stare at this new turtle.

She was positive she hadn't seen him before. He was sitting casually in the chair Donatello usually occupied, the back had been manipulated a bit so that the turtle could lean back, but he was sitting up straight now. His bright baby blue eyes sparkled behind his orange mask and his grin dazzled her a little bit. This turtle radiated such friendliness and excitement that Elizabeth felt instantly at ease with him. This had to be Michelangelo.

She looked him over slowly. She wasn't sure what she had expected when she met this last turtle, the fact that she hadn't meet him until now had made her think that perhaps he felt the same way about her that Leonardo did. But he seemed to take the complete opposite view. He seemed almost… enthusiastic. Elizabeth's eyebrows met together as she stared curiously at him.

Michelangelo's headphones were resting around his neck, hip hop music still blasting from the speakers. Elizabeth's eyes followed the headphone's cord down to Michelangelo's belt and saw what looked like a second hand iPod hooked there.

Michelangelo followed her gaze, grinned, and hit one of the buttons, shutting off the music. Elizabeth's eyes flickered up to meet his eyes again. He chuckled a little and leaned forward, placing a three fingered hand on her arm.

"So how you feeling, dudette? Do you need anything?"

Elizabeth thought about it. She was pretty hungry, having avoided the oatmeal Donatello had given her the night before. But something more pressing came to mind. An unpleasant pressure in her lower abdomen had her blushing. She bit her lip, refusing to look at the grinning turtle.

Michelangelo cocked his head to the side, studying her quietly. "Are you in pain? Should I get Donny?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No I um… I have to… I have to go." Elizabeth blushed again, she was embarrassed by the heat in her cheeks and could tell Michelangelo was more than a little confused.

"You have to go… ? As in go back home?"

"No… I have to go… " Elizabeth tried again, feeling even more embarrassed now.

Michelangelo's head suddenly snapped up as what she was saying seemed to sink in. "Oh… that's no problem, dudette. Come on – I'll help you."

Elizabeth nodded and felt the turtle's arms help ease her up, she was surprised at how gentle he was. Michelangelo screamed energy, restlessness – there was a spark in his eye and a protective tone his brothers used when they spoke of him. She had no doubt that Michelangelo was the youngest of the four of them.

Elizabeth suppressed a wince as she sat up right, she gasped, clutching at his arm as the room spun sickeningly.

"Um… maybe I should get Donny, Elizabeth," Michelangelo said, tightening his hold around her shoulders. "You look really pale."

Elizabeth shook her head. The less audience she had for this the better. Besides she was determined to get up and use the bathroom. She didn't need a turtle to help her with that. She swung her legs over the edge of the cot and gingerly slid off the edge.

She would have fallen if Michelangelo's arm hadn't snaked around her waist. Her knees shook violently and her legs felt like Jell-O it was a surprise she could stand at all. Michelangelo tightened his grip around her, holding her against his body. Elizabeth didn't protest she had no doubt in her mind that he was the only thing keeping her on her feet. She took a shaky step and nearly fell again.

"This isn't a good idea, Elizabeth. I think I should go get Donny," Michelangelo protested again. His mouth was set in a tight line as he watched her with worried round eyes.

"Michelangelo, please I just… "

"It's Mikey," Michelangelo corrected.

Elizabeth looked at him confused. Had she gotten his name wrong?

Michelangelo smiled at her. "Just call me Mikey. Everyone else does."

Elizabeth smiled back. "Ok – Mikey then. I just really want to get to the bathroom."

Michelangelo's expression darkened slightly, but he nodded once, tightened his grip a bit more and helped Elizabeth as they slowly made their way out of the infirmary.

Elizabeth blinked as they entered the expansive living area outside of the infirmary. It was quite a bit different from last night with all the lights turned on. There was a desk she hadn't spotted the night before that held a large desktop computer, she could see a coffee mug sitting just off to the side on the desk. Donatello's probably.

Several of the TV's were on, tuned into a daytime soap opera. No one seemed to be watching it, the couch was empty and the old faded chair was… Elizabeth did a double take. Was that a rat sitting in the chair? The rat's ears swiveled on his head and he turned slightly to look at her, as if sensing her gaze on him. He blinked, nodded once at Michelangelo then turned back to the TVs to continue watching his show.

Elizabeth looked up at Michelangelo. "There's a rat sitting in your living room."

Michelangelo's face held a very odd expression for a moment. Almost as if she'd said something very offensive to him. Then with some effort his mouth curled up at the corner and he smiled a little. "That's our father – and master. He raised us."

"Did he teach you to fight too?" Elizabeth asked, staring at Michelangelo's belt.

Michelangelo glanced down at his nunchakus, he was so used to them sitting there that he often forgot to remove them. He wasn't surprised that Elizabeth had noticed them, she seemed hyper-aware of everything around her.

"He's trained us so that we could learn to defend ourselves if we ever needed to," Michelangelo said simply, not bothering to go into it further.

Elizabeth bit her lip, more questions begged to be asked but she held them back. She had a feeling that Michelangelo really didn't want to talk about this. She wasn't going to press him.

Michelangelo passed what appeared to be a fairly large kitchen, and then a room that had the door shut, but she could hear someone moving around inside. She looked at it curiously as they passed but Michelangelo didn't say anything.

"Here we are," Michelangelo said pushing open a second door.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected this.

The bathroom was by no means large, but it had everything in it that she'd expect if she walked into the bathroom at home. A bathtub sat against the far wall, a pale blue, slightly torn and held together with duct tape, shower curtain had been pushed to one side, a few drops of water fell from the shower head making a slight tinging noise as it hit the basin of the tub. Next to the tub was a toilet, a large crack on the lid, but it seemed to be in fairly good shape. A roll of toilet paper sat on the back, with several more stacked to the side in a neat little pyramid. The mirror over the sink had a large crack in the corner that sent tiny little spider-webbed lines around the edge, slightly distorting her image, but it too seemed in good shape and a bar of soap sat right next to the taps.

Michelangelo pulled the door shut to give her some privacy. Elizabeth looked longingly at the tub. It would feel so good to get cleaned up. She wasn't sure how long she'd been down here but she felt caked with dry blood and sweat and she ached to wash it all away. She knew Donatello would disapprove though so she let the thought drift for her mind as set about her business.

It didn't take her long and soon she was standing in front of the mirror, the hot water from the faucet fogging up the bottom of the mirror while she stared at her reflection. She had dark purple circles under her eyes, the skin over her cheeks looked tighter – making her cheekbones jut out even further. Her long normally well kept hair was snarled and stood up in places. Almost as if she'd poked her finger in an electrical socket. She ran her fingers through her hair and caught a few of the snarls, yanking them out. It didn't help so she stopped.

She turned the hot water faucet down and splashed some warm water on her face, rubbing it against her pale skin. It felt so good. She ran her wet fingers over the top of her head, flattening some of the fly away hairs and looked at her reflection again. She didn't like the girl she saw staring back at her so she looked away, turned off the taps and opened the bathroom door.

Michelangelo was standing against the opposite wall, obviously waiting for her. But he didn't seem to be paying the bathroom much attention. He was frowning at the other door they'd passed, listening to whatever was going on inside. He shifted a little, his shoulders tensing ever so slightly, the adjustment so subtle that if Elizabeth hadn't been watching him she would have missed it.

As if on cue the door opened and Leonardo emerged, dabbing a towel at his sweaty neck. Elizabeth hesitated in the bathroom doorway, she remembered all too well how cold his expression had been the last time she'd seen him.

"Mikey," Leonardo said frowning at his brother. "You're supposed to be on watch with…" He trailed off as he spotted Elizabeth for the first time. His eyes darkened and his jaw tightened. He slung the towel over his shoulder.

"We were just heading back, Leo," Michelangelo said quickly. He turned to Elizabeth with a forced smile and offered her his hand. She shook her head, wrapping her arms around her chest. Leonardo's eyes narrowed and he glared at her angrily his dark brown eyes blazing behind his mask with a stare so intense it made Elizabeth shift uncomfortably. She stared back at him, unable to look away, even when Leonardo's eyes narrowed dangerously. Elizabeth felt her chest tighten and a knot form at the base of her throat making it hard for her to swallow. Her stomach churned uneasily but she couldn't break her gaze from Leonardo's eyes, then suddenly he blinked and she was free again. She dropped her gaze to the floor, feeling a bit winded, which was strange but still she was breathing heavier than normal. Leonardo didn't say anything, but turned and headed towards the stairs, making his way up to the second level much faster than Elizabeth would have thought was possible, and then he was gone.

Michelangelo sighed and rubbed the back of his head. He muttered something that was too low for Elizabeth to catch. Then he turned back to her, his smile more genuine now. "Come on, let's get you back to the infirmary."

"Do I have to?"

Michelangelo paused, cocking an eye ridge at her, obviously surprised.

"It's just I'm… I'm kind of tired of being stuck on my back with nothing to do," Elizabeth explained. She bit the inside of her cheek, hoping that she wouldn't blush again.

Michelangelo seemed to study her for a minute before he grinned, and he laughed. "Guess I can't say I blame you, Liz."

"It's Elizabeth," Elizabeth corrected, making a face at the nickname.

Michelangelo's laughter died quickly and an odd expression crossed his face.

"I like Elizabeth," Elizabeth explained. No need to go into detail about Graham calling her Liz and Lizzy. Those nicknames made her stomach clench uneasily.

"Ok," Michelangelo said uncertainly. "Elizabeth then. We could probably set you up on the couch if you want. Master Splinter's soap opera is almost over anyway. Do you like action movies?"

Elizabeth grinned. "What ones do you have?"

Michelangelo's face lit up again and he wrapped his arm around her waist. She leaned on him as they made their way slowly across the large room to where the entertainment center was set up.

Credits were rolling across the screens of the many TVs that were on and the gray rat was standing slowly, as if his whole body ached. Michelangelo's grip on Elizabeth wavered for a moment.

"Master Splinter?"

"I'm fine, Michelangelo," Splinter said patiently. His dark brown eyes traveled to Elizabeth's face and held her gaze for a minute. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled at her. "I hope you are feeling better, Ms. Elizabeth."

Elizabeth was taken aback. She had never been addressed like this before. She smiled back, though she could feel the shock on her face. "Much better – thank you, sir."

Splinter nodded at her, and turned stiffly to walk to a paper rice sliding door. Michelangelo helped Elizabeth to the couch and eased her down.

"You want something to eat, Elizabeth? Donny said you didn't eat much of that oatmeal last night."

Elizabeth flinched. She had been right – Donatello had noticed. Her stomach protested its emptiness but Elizabeth didn't feel like eating anything. She stared down at her knees, clasping her hands together.

"Hey – you ok? Should I get Donny?" Michelangelo asked, crouching down in front of her and peering up at her with worried eyes.

Elizabeth shook her head.

Michelangelo sat back on his heels deliberating. His first instinct was to run and get Donatello but when tears splashed down Elizabeth's cheeks he hesitated.

"He… he hates me doesn't he?" Elizabeth finally whispered.

Michelangelo frowned. "Who?"

Elizabeth gulped and turned to look over at the stairs where Leonardo had disappeared. Michelangelo followed her gaze and sighed. He turned back to her, his eyes much softer than before.

"Leo doesn't hate you, Elizabeth. He's just worried. He doesn't know if someone topside is looking for you – or what it'll do to our family if they find out where you are. You aren't the first person we've had down here, but this isn't our first home either. We've been uprooted several times and it gets harder and harder for us to find a new place to stay. Raph didn't give Leo any warning when he brought you down here, and it caught him by surprise. But he doesn't hate you. He's angry with Raph not you."

"But he… " Elizabeth tried, swallowing back the lump in her throat. She wasn't sure if she could put her feelings into words. The way Leonardo looked at her honestly scared her sometimes.

Michelangelo was sympathetic. He'd been on the recieiving end of Leonardo's angry side himself and whenever Leo got like this he wasn't someone you wanted to cross. It was just best to stay out of his way.

"That's just the way Leo is when he's worried. It has nothing to do with you," Michelangelo assured her.

Elizabeth stared into his eyes for a very long time, then finally she blinked, nodded, and turned away.

"So, " Michelangelo said grinning and straightening up. "You want me to fix something to snack on while you pick the movie?"

"You never did get around to telling me what movies you have."

"Well that depends," Michelangelo said seriously.

"On what?"

"On whether or not you like superheroes."

* * *

><p>"I'll look over it again in the morning, Raph." Donatello said, wiping his hands on an oily rag. It looks like the drain pipe might be loose."<p>

Donatello walked back into the lair, shaking his head. If one thing wasn't broken it was something else. It seemed as if the work just never ended for him. He had oil splotches all over his face, hands, and plastron after working underneath the battle shell for the past hour. Raphael had said the engine had sounded funny when he'd taken it out earlier – and it was only later they had discovered the oil leak.

Donatello needed to get cleaned up then take over the vigil from Michelangelo. The youngest turtle had been watching Elizabeth far past the time he'd been assigned, but Donatello had lost track of the time.

"LOOK OUT!"

Donatello turned automatically to the entertainment center and was surprised to see Michelangelo plopped on the couch, his eyes glued to the screen as Hugh Jackman turned around and three sharp metal claws shot out of his hand, turning the tides on his would be assailant. Where was Elizabeth? Had Leonardo taken over the watch while he and Raphael were busy with the battle shell?

Donatello popped his head into the infirmary to see the cot empty, the sheets and blanket tossed aside carelessly.

Donatello turned back towards Michelangelo. "Mikey, where is… ?"

"Shh… Donny, you're interrupting the best part," Michelangelo hissed.

Donatello frowned. "Michelangelo!"

"You're going to wake up Elizabeth. Keep your voice down, Donny."

Donatello's eyes widened in surprise and he stepped up to the back of the couch.

Michelangelo was leaning back casually, one arm draped over the back of the couch, the DVD remote resting on his leg while his other hand held onto a bowl of popcorn. Elizabeth was curled up on the couch beside him, her head resting against Michelangelo's leg, just barely touching it, but her breathing was deep and even.

"She didn't want to stay in the infirmary anymore so I put in a movie. She fell asleep halfway through Spider-Man," Michelangelo explained.

"Dat wuss?" Raphael asked as he made his way to the bathroom. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"As long as she hasn't torn those stitches again," Donatello said quickly before Michelangelo could retaliate and wake Elizabeth.

Michelangelo was frowning after Raphael, but he looked back at Donatello reluctantly. "She hasn't moved, Donny. I'll keep an eye on her."

"Thanks, Mikey – has she eaten anything?"

"I made her some soup earlier," Michelangelo said gesturing to an empty soup bowl. "I wasn't sure if she was up to anything more solid than that."

Donatello frowned as Elizabeth shivered a little underneath the blanket Michelangelo had draped over her. Michelangelo pulled the blanket tighter over her shoulders.

"Hey, Donny?"

"Yeah, Mikey?" Donatello was still frowning at Elizabeth.

"Does she seem… uh, skinnier than she should be to you?"

"She's definitely under weight," Donatello said seriously. "I noticed it when Raph first brought her in. And the fact that she didn't eat much of the oatmeal last night speaks volumes since she hasn't eaten for over a day."

"Do you think she's doing it on purpose?"

Donatello shook his head. "I don't know, Mikey. Maybe her stomach just isn't up to handling very much right now. There could be a number of reasons."

"Did Raph go to… ?"

"Yeah he did – I'll help her when she wakes up. Be sure to let me know if those stitches get torn, Mikey."

"Don't worry, Donny." Michelangelo reassured his brother with a quick smile. He turned back to his movie, popping a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

_Don't worry. That's easy for Mikey. _Donatello thought with a slight smile and a shake of his head as he turned towards his lab. As long as Elizabeth was fine for now and wasn't about to tear those stitches he might as well get some work done. He was pretty far behind on the repairs he had to do for the many things that managed to break around the lair – and there was that camera in the north tunnel that had been malfunctioning…

The list in Donatello's head grew as he picked up his duffel bag and began to pack some tools into it. The loose drain pipe in the battle shell was just one among the many things that required his attention and if he had a break from his doctoring duties he'd take it. Michelangelo didn't seem to mind watching Elizabeth. Donatello didn't think he would. Michelangelo just wasn't like that – he was always eager to make new friends.

A streak of orange darted out from underneath his desk chasing a ball of lint.

"Klunk!" Donatello shouted when Klunk almost knocked over a glass beaker. The orange cat paused, looked over his shoulder at Donatello, flicked his tail then trotted over to the couch where he leapt up beside Michelangelo and settled down on the arm of the couch, kneading his claws contentedly in the soft material and cushioning.

Donatello sighed, shouldered his bag and grabbed his large flashlight. It was a wonder he got anything done between three brothers and a stray alley cat. But still things didn't get fixed by themselves. He knew he'd have a few hours to get some of these things done before their evening training session. So first things first – security. Donatello glanced once more at his younger brother, shrugged to himself, and left the lair to go fix the security camera in the north tunnel.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys I worked really hard to get this next chapter written as fast as I did and it was a lot longer than I thought it would be but I had to get to the point I wanted it to be at before I stopped. Now keep in mind that this story is rated what it is rated for a reason. I warned that there would be darker themes in this story and I meant it. So no hate mail please... trust me I know where I want this story to go. And this chapter was a very important step in getting there. **

**Thank you again for those who have reviewed. I really appreciate the support for this story and hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I'll post again once I get the next chapter written. And now on with the next chapter. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

"Hmm," Donatello frowned as he closed the hood to the battle shell. "Well it's got a busted fan belt and I still need to fix that loose drain pipe. She isn't going anywhere for a while, Raph."

Raphael leaned against the shell cycle, watching as Donatello tried to wipe the grease off his hands with little success. "Ya gonna make a junk run, Donny?"

"Maybe later," Donatello said. "Leo will kill me if I miss another training session."

Raphael snorted. "Dat hasn't stopped ya before."

"I don't think we should test him, Raph. Leo's been on edge ever since you told him about Elizabeth," Donatello said carefully. He wasn't willing to push Raphael's temper either – he was just as close to the boiling point as Leonardo was.

"Leo jus' needs ta stop bein' a bonehead and get over it already," Raphael snapped.

"You weren't exactly subtle when you sprang the news on him though, Raph. Leo has his reasons to be worried." Donatello pointed out.

"Whatevah – he's still bein' a bonehead," Raphael grumbled.

"I'm not saying you're not right, Raph. Leo could be less hostile towards her – but after what happened to the last lair… " Donatello trailed off. He didn't need to finish.

Raphael flinched, remembering how their last lair had collapsed, almost trapping them all – and would have if it hadn't been for a dimensional portal stick that Donny and the alternate Donatello from another dimension had invented. Donny had been skeptical that it would work – it had been made out of a flashlight. But the alternate Donatello had been certain that it would – and to everyone's surprise, except for Donatello's of course, it had. But Splinter had been trapped underneath the collapsing lair and had been taken captive by Hun.

"Anyway," Donatello continued. "If Elizabeth doesn't tear those stitches again and her blood pressure keeps going up she'll be able to go home in a couple days anyway."

"What?" Raphael asked suddenly straightening up. "We're jus' gonna send 'er back ta da guy dat's been given 'er all dem bruises?"

"Raph, we don't know if he's the one doing it. She hasn't said anything about it," Donatello said patiently.

"Donny, she said he would kill 'er. Dat ain't enough fer ya? What more da ya want from 'er?"

"Raph, we can't go around accusing someone of physical abuse unless we have more evidence. Elizabeth hasn't actually told us that someone is beating her up – we've just guessed. Unless she says something we can't do anything about it."

"So let's go make 'er talk 'bout it," Raphael growled.

"Raph, this probably isn't something she'd want to talk about. If it is her husband he's more than likely intimidated her into silence. We have no idea who this guy is or what kind of influence he has with authority figures. If he's powerful enough he could have friends in the right places, that alone could help keep him out of trouble. Even if he doesn't he could have enough money to bail himself out with and then where do you think he's going to go first? Elizabeth would be in danger either way. Besides unless we know for sure that it's him… well this isn't in our jurisdiction."

"Who else could it be, Donny? Ya saw dat ring – she's gotta be married ta someone."

"Raph, think about where you found her. She was by herself in Central Park. Who knows if the guys you stopped were the first to try and take advantage of her? If someone did rape her she won't talk about it unless she really trusts you. Even then that isn't certain. The point is we don't have all the facts so we can't act until we do."

"It ain't right, Donny. Sender 'er back der when it could be puttin' 'er right back in da lion's den," Raphael growled.

Donatello sighed. "I know, Raph. But unless Elizabeth says something – we can't go in with fists flying. Now come on – we're going to be late for training."

* * *

><p>"Tag you're it," Michelangelo laughed as he caught Raphael on the shoulder and jumped to the next roof.<p>

"Stop fooling around, Mikey," Leonardo scolded catching up with his younger brothers.

"Aww… come on, Leo. Lighten up a little bit," Michelangelo protested as he leapt from the building, caught a clothes line and used the momentum to swing him to the next rooftop.

"You're supposed to be practicing stealth training," Leonardo snapped.

"But I am training," Michelangelo insisted. He laughed the sound of it carrying over the rooftops.

"You know Mikey, Leo," Donatello said stepping out of the shadows.

Leonardo growled low in his throat.

"Why don't we call it a night?" Donatello suggested. "We've been at it for over an hour and we're close to the junk yard – I need to stop and see if they have a few things for the battle shell." His eyes took on a glint that Leonardo recognized.

Leonardo sighed, Donatello wasn't going to be focused on training anymore. He would be too preoccupied with what he hoped to find at the junk yard. "Raph, let's go get Mikey."

Raphael nodded and sprinted across the rooftop.

Leonardo turned to Donatello. "We'll meet you back here in twenty minutes, Donny. If you aren't back we'll meet up at the junk yard."

"Thanks, Leo," Donatello turned and sprinted off in the opposite direction.

Leonardo watched Donatello go for a minute waiting until his brother disappeared into the shadows then he turned and followed after Raphael. He'd only gone a few blocks when he found Raphael. Raphael was crouched on the rooftop, touching the rough surface with the tips of his fingers.

"Raph?"

"He's around here somewhere, Leo," Raph said straightening up and glaring around the empty rooftop.

Leonardo paused, barely breathing as he too listened, depending on that sixth sense that Splinter had drilled into them for as long as he could remember.

_Be aware of your surroundings at all times._

"Hey guys!" Michelangelo's voice came from the water tower on the far side of the roof. From underneath Michelangelo's head appeared upside down, making his grin look rather funny. "Look I'm training. Now you see me… now you don't." He disappeared into the shadows of the water tower again.

"Ya wanted 'im ta practice stealth trainin', fearless," Raphael said with an irritated sigh.

"Now you see me… now you don't," Michelangelo said laughing again as he disappeared into the shadows once more.

Leonardo watched as his energetic brother popped in and out of the shadows for a few more minutes. Raphael snorted and shook his head, turning back the way they'd come.

"Come on, Mikey. We've got to me up with Don," Leonardo finally insisted.

Michelangelo dropped from the water tower, brushing his hands together. "Another lesson mastered by the Battle… "

"Don't you say it!" Raphael interrupted, turning back to glare at his younger brother.

"… Nexus Champion!" Michelangelo crowed triumphantly. He grinned when Raphael growled and stormed away.

"Mikey… " Leonardo started but then he thought better of it. Michelangelo wouldn't listen anyway. "Let's go."

"I think dat might be harder den ya think, fearless," Raphael said quietly. He was glaring over the edge of the building into the dark alley below. Leonardo joined him, glaring down into the semi-lit alley. A young woman had a toddler clutched to her chest, her heels clicking quietly on the cement as she backed away from two street thugs who were cornering her.

Leonardo unsheathed his katanas and Raphael drew his sais. Michelangelo joined them, his body tensing as one of the men lifted something in a threatening gesture.

"Please, I told you I don't have any money," the woman from down below pleaded, clutching the infant even tighter to her bosom.

"Den hand over yer jewelry, sweet thing and we won't get rough on yas," one of the burly men said with a hard laugh. His companion laughed stupidly along with him.

"Raph!" Leonardo whispered.

"I'm on it, Leo," Raphael said. In an instant he was gone, making his way down the fire escape so quietly that he was less than a shadow. Leonardo and Michelangelo waited, watching as Raphael slipped unseen into the alley below.

"I won't tell ya again, lady – now hand over da stuff before we have ta get rough!" One of the men snapped.

Raphael clung tight to the shadows, watching the men approach the woman and her infant. The infant cried and the woman patted his back, trying to quiet him while trying not to panic herself. She was almost to the back of the alley now, in a few more seconds she'd have nowhere to go. Raphael tensed, ready to spring.

"Time's up lady – da kid goes first," The man holding the weapon clicked back on the hammer.

_Ah shell._

Raphael struck fast darting out of the shadows as the gun went off. The woman screamed and fell to her knees clutching the wailing toddler tighter to her chest. She turned around, protecting the infant with her own body.

"What in da hell?" The second man screamed. He pulled out his own weapon and pulled back the hammer. "George, what was dat thing?"

George didn't answer.

"George?" The second man asked his tone going up a pitch in his distress. "George!"

Raphael watched him from the shadows, clutching at the bullet graze on his arm. He'd been lucky, George's finger had already been on the trigger when Raphael jumped him but at least he hadn't been able to aim properly. Raphael had felt the bullet graze his arm as he'd taken the man down. It wasn't as bad as a direct shot would have been, but the graze was painful enough.

"GEORGE!" The second man turned back to the woman and child who were cringing underneath the street light. "WHERE IS HE?"

Raphael pounced out of the shadows once again, twisting the man's arm when he cried out in alarm. The gun in his hand went off but this time Raphael had managed to twist the gun away from him and away from the cringing woman on the ground. He heard the bullet ricochet off the brick as he took the second thug out with a swift right hook. The man crumpled. Raphael turned and hurried back to the fire escape, making his way up as quickly as he could with his wounded arm.

More hot sticky blood made its way down his arm as he climbed but he paid it no mind. Donatello could patch him up when they got back to the lair.

Leonardo was there before he even made the rooftops. "You did good, Raph."

Raphael nodded as he climbed onto the roof. "Thanks, bro."

"Ha ha, you should've seen the look on that guy's… Raph, is that blood?" Michelangelo asked, his eyes widening in shock.

Leonardo was on his brother in a flash, examining the wound with narrowed angry eyes. "He shot you?" He demanded glaring at Raphael.

"Bullet grazed me – it's nothin' Donny can't patch up at da lair," Raphael said tugging his arm out of Leonardo's grip.

Leonardo glared at him, then untied his mask and wrapped it around the bleeding wound. "Mikey, give me your mask we need to slow the bleeding."

Michelangelo did what he was told without question. Leonardo tied it around Raphael's arm as well then ground his jaw together. "Let's get Donny and get back."

* * *

><p>"Ah ha!" Donatello grinned triumphant as he straightened up from a pile of garbage he'd been digging through. "This is perfect! Thanks, Professor!"<p>

The weathered old man in rags with dirty clumped gray hair grinned back at him. "You are most welcome, my young friend."

Donatello slipped the misshapen hunk of metal and wires into his duffel bag and shouldered it. "I've got to get back. But I'll see you around, Professor."

"Take care, Donatello," The Professor said with a grin then he turned back to where a small cluster of his homeless friends stood warming their hands over a small fire.

Donatello hurried out of the junk yard, making his way to the rooftops quickly. He had a feeling he had been in the junk yard for more than twenty minutes… so where were the others? He picked up the pace, hurrying back to where they'd said they would meet up.

It took him less than no time to get there, but the rooftop was empty. He stopped and frowned, looking around at the surrounding rooftops for any sign of his brothers. The rooftops were empty.

"Ok," Donatello said slowly as he pulled his shell cell from his belt and flipped it open. "Where are you, Leo?" He muttered as he pressed the button to his brother's phone.

Suddenly there was a sharp prick in the back of his neck, Donatello's phone fell from nerveless fingers and he grabbed at his neck, jerking the dart from his skin. He turned, disoriented as his vision began to blur. He heard someone laugh, a sharp pain as someone's foot connected with his side and then nothing.

* * *

><p>Donatello's insides were burning, as if acid was coursing through his veins, spreading throughout his entire body. He tried to writhe and scream in pain but his hands were bound in an uncomfortable position behind is carapace and his beak was clamped shut by what felt like a leather muzzle. He tugged at his restraints, testing the tightness of his bonds. They didn't give.<p>

"What is this! I told you to bring me back my wife not some giant turtle!" Someone snapped.

Donatello slowly peeled open his eyes, wincing at the bright white light of the room he was in. He could make out vague outlines of two people across the room from where he was but they were like shadows with no distinct shape to them. His vision blurred in and out, his eyes watering as the fire continued to course through his body.

He wanted to cry out, to cut open his flesh and let the fire escape his body. But he couldn't – the restraints on his wrists prevented him from doing much of anything.

"You said you've looked everywhere for her, Mr. Cooper," Someone hissed. "Trust me – if these turtles have seen her or have her all you have to do is threaten one of them and the others will do whatever you want. The poison in my dart will kill this one in two hours… tell them you have the antidote and they'll come to you with any information they have."

_No! _

Donatello's mind rebelled against what they were saying. They wanted to use him to get to his brothers. But why? For who? Elizabeth? Were these people looking for her? Donatello wanted to cry out to his brothers, to warn them not to come. These men wouldn't hand over the antidote… they never did. He was going to die… and what was to stop these men from poisoning his brothers as well?

Donatello couldn't stand the thought of his brothers writhing on the ground in this horrible agony.

_Stay away, guys! Please stay away!_

"How are we supposed to contact them?" The first man demanded.

"That one had this on him – looks like some kind of phone… " The second man laughed.

_No! The shell cell! _

Donatello cringed inwardly. If those men activated the tracking device in his phone it could lead them right to the others! He tested the bonds on his wrists again, and felt a white hot burning pain shoot up his arms and through the rest of his body, almost causing him to black out again.

He clung to consciousness, but just barely, trying to breathe through the heavy leather that covered his beak. His eyes closed again, it was too hard to keep them open.

"Try that one," The first man suggested to the second.

Donatello couldn't see what they were doing but he strained his ears, listening.

"Donny… ?"

Donatello could hear the relief on the other end of the line as his brother picked up.

"Where are… ?"

"If you ever want to see your brother again… " The second man hissed into the phone, making his brother stop short. "You will do exactly as I say… and you've got less than two hours to do it. Otherwise we'll be dropping off a dead turtle at the docks."

Donatello's sob was muffled by the leather muzzle. He never heard his brother's reply as the fire burning through him dragged him back into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Leo?" Michelangelo called back to Leonardo who was sticking close to Raphael. He didn't like the strange color Raphael's skin had taken. Raphael was breathing heavily and both masks were soaked through with blood.<p>

"What is it, Mikey?" Leonardo asked, gripping Raphael's arm when Raphael stumbled after his last jump.

"Weren't we supposed to meet Donny here?" Michelangelo asked, looking around the empty roof confused.

Leonardo frowned, it had been well past the twenty minute time frame he'd given his brother to go scavenging through the junk yard. So he was surprised that his brother wasn't waiting for them. He pulled his shell cell out of his belt, annoyed. He didn't have time to go looking for his brother – they had to get Raphael back to the lair before he blacked out. It was obvious that Raphael was going into shock.

"Hey I think I see something," Michelangelo called darting over to the next roof before Leonardo could call him back.

"Leo – I ain't feelin' so good," Raphael grumbled, leaning against his brother.

"Hang on, Raph – we're going to get you home. Donny will patch you up." Leonardo reassured him, tightening his grip on his brother.

He opened his shell cell to dial Donatello's number, but then his phone rang. Donatello's name flashed onto the caller ID.

"Perfect timing, Don," Leonardo muttered as he pushed the send button. "Donny… ?"

Donatello didn't answer right away. Leonardo frowned.

Raphael sagged against him and Leonardo fought to keep his brother on his feet.

"Where are… ?" Leonardo started to demanded but paused when Michelangelo's panic voice echoed over the rooftops.

"LEO!"

"If you ever want to see your brother again… " A strange voice echoed from the speaker on his shell cell almost making Leonardo drop it in shock. Leonardo felt his eyes bulge in horror and he instinctively clutched the two things he was holding tighter to him when Michelangelo appeared carrying Donatello's duffel. "You will do exactly as I say… and you've got less than two hours to do it. Otherwise we'll be dropping off a dead turtle at the docks."

"Leo?" Raphael's voice was weak, he tipped his head up to peer into Leonardo's face. "What's wrong? Where's Donny?"

Leonardo's hand clutched the phone so tightly he heard the casing crack. "Where's my brother?"

"Meet me on 111th and 5th in one hour," The voice hissed. "If you aren't there I don't think your brother will survive a double dose."

With that the line went dead.

Leonardo felt numb.

"Leo," Michelangelo sobbed, horrified by the look on his brother's face. "Leo!"

Leonardo blinked and stared back at his brother, frozen in shock. "Mikey, they have Donny."

* * *

><p>"Leo, stop!"<p>

Michelangelo's voice echoed around the lair, making Elizabeth look up from where she was sprawled out on the couch watching a boring sitcom. She gasped as she saw Leonardo hauling a very gray Raphael through the front door, Raphael was moving sluggishly, his feet dragging across the concrete floor.

Leonardo's face was strained with worry and Michelangelo's face was tense with stress.

Elizabeth propped herself up on one elbow as Leonardo half carried half dragged Raphael towards the infirmary.

"My sons," Splinter called as he exited his room, his eyes widening in shock when he saw Leonardo dragging Raphael towards the infirmary.

"Mikey, we don't have time. If what they said is true then Donny is in real trouble!" Leonardo snapped as he, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Splinter disappeared into the infirmary.

Elizabeth gasped again.

Donatello was in trouble? Why? What had happened?

"Did they say who they were or what they want?" Michelangelo barked in a tone Elizabeth didn't recognize.

"Leonardo, what has happened to your brother?" Splinter demanded.

"He's in shock, Sensei." Leonardo said quickly. "I don't know who they are, Mikey. That isn't the point. They have Donny and we're going."

"My sons! What has happened? Where is your brother?"

There was silence for a long moment. Then Leonardo spoke, his voice less angry and more broken than Elizabeth would have ever thought it could be.

"I'm sorry, Master Splinter. It's my fault. I never should have let him go on by himself. I should have gone with him."

"Leonardo," Splinter said impatiently, a sharp edge to his tone that made Elizabeth want to cringe. "Where is your brother? What has happened?"

"I… I don't know who they are, Master. I didn't recognize them," Leonardo confessed. He paused as if waiting for Splinter to snap at him, but there was only silence. Elizabeth swallowed hard.

Was it possible that Graham had something to do with this? Did he have his dark minions of the criminal world scouring the city for her? If he did she knew they would stop at no length to find her. She sat up, pushing aside the blankets that had been covering her.

She was grateful that Raphael had snuck up to their penthouse now to retrieve some clothes for her. He'd found her address on her driver's license and had retrieved a few fresh pieces of clothing she could change into. Donatello had helped her change after she'd woken up from her nap on the couch. He hadn't let her shower though… he said she'd have to wait at least another day for that. Still being in fresh clean clothes had made her feel a little better. She'd combed her long dark hair out with her fingers and had braided it smartly into a long dark plait behind her head and when she'd finished she'd looked halfway decent again.

She got to her feet carefully and made her way across the room so she could hear better as the others dropped their voices to low whispers.

"This doesn't have anything to do with her, Leo!" Michelangelo hissed.

"We don't know that, Mikey! Raph brought her down here and now Donny is in trouble! Why else would these people want to talk to us unless they suspected something?"

"How would they even know about us?" Michelangelo demanded.

"Mikey! We don't have time for this! We have half an hour to meet this man or else he's going to kill Donny! We have to go!"

"Leonardo, are you willing to put the life of this young woman into the hands of your brother's abductor?" Splinter asked quietly.

"If that's what it takes to get Donny back, Master Splinter. We can't let Donny die for her." Leonardo's voice had taken that cold hard tone that Elizabeth hated.

She shivered and walked away from the door quietly. She didn't want to hear anymore. She didn't _need _to hear anymore. If Leonardo's suspicions were correct and Graham hired these men to kidnap Donatello in an attempt to get her back then she would go on her own. Donatello had been so nice to her, he'd cared for her and had never once spoken to her or lashed out at her in anger. She couldn't let anything happen to him. And from the way Raphael had looked when Leonardo had dragged him in he would need his brother to help him.

Her heart clenched with pain at the thought of losing Raphael. She had just met him, and yet the thought of never seeing him again hurt her more than going back to Graham. But knowing he was still out there… knowing he was probably saving someone else's life was enough to steady her resolve. She had to go back. She had to face her husband. She had to try.

The front door was still open, the others had been too busy bringing Raphael in to even notice. Elizabeth glanced once more over her shoulder, felt tears prick at her eyes, then turned and disappeared into the tunnels.

She walked in the opposite direction that she'd taken the last time, hoping she'd have better luck in finding a manhole this time. Her shoes sloshed through the dirty sewer water. She didn't care. Hot tears splashed down her cheeks as she made her way down the dark sewer passage. She wasn't afraid of Graham. She wasn't afraid of what he was going to do to her. She'd been through it all before. She'd either wake up in the hospital again after having another "accident" or she simply wouldn't wake up at all. She hoped for the latter – it would be better.

She lost track of how long she'd been walking through the sewer tunnels, forgot which way she'd come – or how to get back. It was all for the better. That way she couldn't tell anyone where these strange turtle creatures lived.

She felt a knot rise in her throat. She'd brought this on them. She was the one who had put their lives at risk – just as Leonardo had feared. She realized now how right he had been to be worried about her presence there. As long as she was with them, his family had been in danger. And now Donatello's life was at stake.

Elizabeth turned a corner and almost cried out with relief. There just ahead she could see a light coming from the ceiling… a manhole cover. Elizabeth ran through the disgusting water, feeling more hot tears trickle down her face as she approached the rung ladder and the manhole covering.

She climbed up the slick rung ladder, surprised at how hard it was to climb. Her hands were coated with sweat forcing her to grip the iron rungs extra tight so she wouldn't lose her grip. When she reached the top she pushed against the manhole covering.

It didn't budge. It was much heavier than she would have expected. Elizabeth bit her lip and pushed against the manhole cover again, gripping the ladder with one hand and almost crying out in pain as she lifted the heavy manhole cover just for a second before it fell into place again.

She sobbed, her muscles screaming with fatigue as she sagged against the ladder. It was too heavy. How was she supposed to save Donatello if she couldn't even lift the stupid manhole cover?

She thought of the gentle purple-banded turtle, his soft chocolate colored eyes filled with concern as he tried to stop her pain. His soft gentle hands as he restitched her wounds, his warm breath as it brushed past her skin. His gentle smile.

Elizabeth's eyes snapped up towards the manhole cover again. She had to get that thing out of the way. She had to save Donatello! If anything happened to him because of her…

Elizabeth pushed against the manhole cover again, shoving the heavy covering with every ounce of strength she had left. To her surprise it lifted, shifting slightly to the left. Elizabeth paused, panting and leaning against the ladder before pushing at it again. It moved another couple inches. And after a third try it was over far enough that Elizabeth could climb out.

Sobbing in relief Elizabeth pulled herself to street level, breathing in a breath of fresh air. Surprised at how strange it felt in her lungs. She had gotten so used to the musty air of the sewers that the outside air made her head spin. She sagged against the pavement, her muscles screaming their exhaustion and her back heaving with her exertion.

After several long minutes Elizabeth forced herself to get to her feet. Her legs shook underneath her and her heartbeat thudded loudly in her ears. She had to get to Graham's office. But first she had to figure out where she was.

She made her way slowly out of the alley, grateful that the manhole cover hadn't been in the middle of a busy street. Ignoring her screaming muscles Elizabeth ran down to the nearest street corner and gasped, clutching at her side as she blinked up at the street signs.

She was too far away to walk to Graham's office –she'd have to get a cab and pay for it when she got there.

"Taxi!" Elizabeth shouted, waving her hand in front of a yellow cab in the closest lane. The taxi driver pulled the vehicle to the side of the street and Elizabeth jumped in.

The taxi driver watched her climb in and turned to look at her from his seat. He was rather fat, a cigar butt hung from the corner of his mouth and his black hair was streaked with gray lines. His black eyes studied her, calculating whether or not she would be able to pay him for the ride.

"Where to lady?"

"Cooper Enterprises, and step on it!" Elizabeth said slamming her door and bucking her seatbelt. "If you get me there in fifteen minutes I'll pay you twice what I'll owe."

"You've got it lady." The cab driver turned around and pulled back into the heavy lanes of traffic.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later the yellow taxi cab pulled in front of Cooper Enterprises front doors. The taxi driver turned around to look at her.<p>

"Will you just wait here a minute please?" Elizabeth begged.

The man frowned, but nodded reluctantly. He shifted the taxi into park and Elizabeth hurried from the back seat, running to the front doors. They were locked for the night – but there was a code box to the side of the door to let the night guards and her husband in and out when he worked after regular business hours.

Elizabeth punched in the code and wrenched open the door. She didn't see the night shift security guard which told her he was probably patrolling one of the inner corridors. She rushed to the elevator and punched the up button. The elevator door dinged and opened immediately. Elizabeth stepped inside and pressed the number 16. The doors closed slowly and the elevator rumbled as it began to climb up the shaft.

Elizabeth's heart was beating so loud in her hears that she couldn't hear the soft elevator music playing from the speakers.

When the doors opened again Elizabeth left the elevator on numb legs. She walked down the hall past three doors and paused outside the door that had the large letters spelling out her husband's name. She knocked softly.

"Come in!" Graham snapped from the other side of the door.

Elizabeth cringed then pushed open the door slowly.

"This had better be… " Graham snapped turning around from where he'd been pacing in front of his mahogany desk. He froze, his eyes narrowing when he saw her. Elizabeth's insides turned to ice and she had to quell the instinct to turn and run. Her eyes darted around the office, hoping to see Donatello somewhere.

They froze when she spotted him. He was in the corner, his hands bound behind his shell , a muzzle on his beak, his legs tied together with heavy rope. He wasn't moving.

"Elizabeth!" Graham growled, his face reddening in his anger.

"Graham, I'm here – please let him go." Elizabeth pleaded stepping into the room.

Graham's eyes flickered to the turtle and back to her again, his expression darkening still. "So these creatures did have something to do with your disappearance?"

"Graham, please – they saved my life. Just let him go."

"JENKINS!" Graham bellowed making Elizabeth jump.

A second man that Elizabeth hadn't noticed before stepped out from the shadows. His eyes were lidded, his long black hair hung around his face in uneven pieces as if someone had cut it but hadn't done it properly. He had a long jagged scar across one eye, which was now milky white and made one side of his face hang down in a permanent frown. The other side of his face was smirking.

Graham turned to him. "Looks like you were right. Get rid of that one," he pointed to Donatello's unconscious body, "and tell your master that he has my gratitude."

"It was our pleasure," Jenkins hissed his good eye darting to Elizabeth and a hungry expression briefly crossed his face as he pulled a small dart gun from the waistband of his pants. "Should I dispose of him now then?"

"Do what you want with him I have what I was after," Graham snarled turning back to Elizabeth. He grabbed her roughly by the arms and Elizabeth cried out as his fingers dug into her skin. She dug her heels into the beige carpet but it didn't stop him from slamming her up against the large desk. She heard something rattle then fall off the edge, shattering when it hit the floor.

"Graham, please," Elizabeth gasped as pain shot through her spine where her back had hit the rough wood. "Please don't hurt him!"

"You are in no position to ask for anything, Lizzy!" Graham snarled, gripping her even tighter. Elizabeth cried out in pain and Graham slapped her across the face, silencing her cries. "I promised you that if you ever tried to leave again that it would be the last thing you would ever do."

"But I didn't try to leave," Elizabeth gasped, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "Graham, please… "

Elizabeth was silenced when a fist connected with her cheekbone and a knee caught her just under the ribcage. Her knees buckled and she gasped as Graham let her fall to the floor. A sharp blow caught her in the stomach and another caught her in the ribs knocking the wind out of her. She was sure she heard something crack that time and she was finding it hard to breathe.

She opened her eyes a bit, hoping to see Donatello one last time.

He was awake. His eyes, the warm color of melted chocolate were staring right at her, his expression horrified and sad at the same time. Elizabeth cringed. She hadn't wanted him to see this. He shouldn't have to witness her death.

Graham's meaty hand caught her around the throat hauling her to her feet again. Elizabeth choked, unable to breathe. She clawed desperately at his hand, but he didn't let go.

"I loved you, Lizzy," Graham hissed through his teeth, bringing Elizabeth so close to his face that his hot breath hit her face. She could smell the whisky on his breath. "I gave you everything. And this is how you repay me?"

Elizabeth gasped, desperate for him to let go of her throat. She couldn't breathe! She was going to suffocate!

Graham's fist connected with her face again, just above her eye this time. Elizabeth crumpled to the ground, coughing and gasping wildly. A coppery taste filled her mouth and she spat it onto the floor, not bothering to open her eyes. Her whole body ached, her chest was on fire and every breath was absolute agony. She opened her eyes and stared up at her husband, regret pouring from every inch of her body. How she wished she'd never met him.

"Jenkins! Kill that thing and get out!" Graham shouted as he reached for the button on his jeans.

_No! _Elizabeth thought desperately, straining her neck to see Jenkins approaching Donatello, the dart gun held out in front of him a wicked smile curling up one side of his face.

_No! _ She couldn't have done this for nothing. She had to at least save Donatello's life.

"Grah… Graham," Elizabeth wheezed. "Do… don't hurt 'im."

Graham bent down and wrapped his hand around her throat again, cutting off her air and smiling as her eyes bulged in panic.

"You, my dear wife, are in no position to ask for anything," Graham whispered.

Elizabeth felt her heart shatter into a million pieces at the thought of what this would do to Donatello's brothers.

_Well, Leo, at least I won't be a danger to the rest of your family._ Elizabeth thought.

She felt Graham reach for her pants, lifting them away from her skin and then there was a strange sound. Glass shattering? Had something else fallen off the desk and broken?

Elizabeth didn't have the strength to look. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her world went dark.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys. Here is chapter eight for you. Thank you again for those who take the time to review, I really like seeing how you guys feel about this story and it makes me so excited to keep working on it. I'll work on the next chapter but I might not get it up for a few days. I have my finals for school tomorrow and Friday so they are going to be my priority. I'll be back soon though I promise. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

_Pain! How was it possible to feel so much pain? _

Elizabeth wanted to writhe in agony, she wanted to scream until her throat was raw, but she felt lost inside her own body. She knew pain meant she was still alive, she wasn't sure how she felt about that, especially if she was still in Graham's clutches. She felt like she'd been run over by a car and then they backed up just to make sure they got her.

Her ribs were on fire, her stomach felt like it was going to explode, there was a pain just under her ribcage that throbbed with every heartbeat, she found it hard to get any air into her lungs and they screamed their protest, her face felt puffy, and she could still taste that coppery substance in her mouth.

"Easy… easy… " Someone from nearby called. Elizabeth felt her body moving but she knew that she wasn't the one moving it. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

"Set her down… Mikey get me a… Raph stay with… "

That strange voice kept cutting in and out. Elizabeth knew she should be terrified that she didn't recognize that voice, but she couldn't seem to find the effort to care. Besides there was something vaguely familiar about that voice – as if she had heard it a long time ago… or in a dream.

She felt something tugging at her shirt, cutting it off her. Was she in a hospital then? Had she had another "accident"? The pain blinding her confirmed that she probably had, though she couldn't remember what she had done to make Graham so angry this time.

She struggled against the fog that was clogging up her mind, trying to remember. She had to know what she had done to deserve to be in this much pain. Graham had never beaten her so bad before. She must have done something terrible to deserve this.

"Leo, keep that line clear… too much blood… "

_Leo? _

Who was this Leo?

Elizabeth tried to remember but it made her head hurt.

Fingers were poking at her, pressing against her burning chest. She cried out, trying to push the hands away. She didn't want them to hurt her anymore.

"…she's awake… get me that…"

Who were these people? Why couldn't they just leave her alone? All she wanted was to sleep… to not feel the pain anymore.

A hand grabbed her arm pinning it down.

_No!_

Elizabeth tried to pull out of their strong hold but they only tightened their grip. She could feel the white hot agony shoot up her arm, scalding her… turning her flesh raw. She pulled harder, her eyes shooting open in her panic.

Four dark shapes hovered over her, but she couldn't make them out. She cried out in alarm trying to pull away from them, she had to get away! They were going to hurt her some more!

"…get that… can't hold… " Someone shouted.

Elizabeth felt a sharp prick in the crook of her arm, a burning sensation travelled up her arm for a minute and then her vision blurred and she sank back into the darkness.

* * *

><p>Leonardo sat next to Elizabeth's cot, watching as Elizabeth's chest rose slowly up and down with her labored breathing. Even with the help of the oxygen mask Donatello had rigged up for her Elizabeth still struggled, each breath was a choked wheeze, every exhale a strangled sound that made Leonardo's insides clench uneasily.<p>

She'd been like this for almost four days now. His eyes slowly travelled over Elizabeth's pale battered face. She had a dark bruise on her right temple and her right eye was blacked. Her lips were swollen and there was a poof on her cheek. But those were pale in comparison with the dark purple bruises that covered her entire throat, matching perfectly the size and shape of Graham's hands. Underneath the white crisp sheet Elizabeth's chest was wrapped tightly, securing the three broken ribs. But even worse was that Donatello's sonogram pictures had revealed a ruptured spleen.

Normally with these kinds of situations Donatello would have called on April to assist him… but she was still out of town with Casey. So Leonardo had stepped in. He'd assisted Donatello as Donatello had opened her up, and carefully repaired the ruptured spleen with sutures. It had been a very risky procedure and Donatello hadn't been happy about doing it but Raphael and Michelangelo had both insisted that she not be taken to a hospital.

Donatello had stitched her back up, and put her on the strongest antibiotics he had, hoping it would be enough to keep the incision from getting an infection. But that had been three days ago, and although there had been no sign of infection Elizabeth's blood pressure continued to drop.

"Any change, Leo?" Donatello called from the door.

Leonardo shook his head. "She's the same, Donny."

Donatello sighed and stepped into the room, going to the far side of the cot and placing a finger to Elizabeth's neck, he frowned as he counted the beats. Then he gently lifted both of Elizabeth's eyelids and checked her pupil reaction. He sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"There's still no reaction," Donatello muttered. "She's in a coma, Leo."

Donatello met Leonardo's eyes for a moment but Leonardo didn't hold his gaze, he looked away watching Elizabeth's struggled breathing once more.

"Leo, she might not pull out of this," Donatello whispered.

Leonardo's shoulders sagged. "We should have been faster, Donny. She shouldn't have gone in there alone."

Donatello suppressed a shudder, remembering for a brief moment that window when he'd been conscious through the pain that the poison had spread throughout his body. Elizabeth's pained cries had brought him back to the surface of his agonized burning hell. He'd seen a tall man with shiny honey colored hair kicking Elizabeth roughly in the stomach, followed by a kick to the ribs before he wrapped his hand around her throat and dragged her to her feet again. But for a brief moment their eyes had met and Donatello had seen Elizabeth's green eyes widen in horror. Not for herself… but for him.

She had given herself up to try and save him.

"Elizabeth knew what she was getting into when she went there, Leo. There's nothing you could've done," Donatello tried to reassure his brother. Although he wasn't sure if he bought it himself, he felt just as guilty as his brother did. He had been helpless to stop the man from beating Elizabeth to a bloody pulp. He could only watch, bound and helpless while Elizabeth's cries turned into strangled gasping while the muscular man slowly squeezed the life out of her.

"We could have protected her, Donny. We could have hidden her somewhere else. We could have gotten you out without her."

"Leo, you have to stop blaming yourself. It wasn't your fault," Donatello insisted, frowning at his brother.

"If we had gotten there two minutes later, Donny… "

"Stop it, Leo! It ain't helpin' nothin'," Raphael growled from the infirmary door.

Leonardo's head snapped up and he turned as Raphael walked slowly into the infirmary, his eyes narrowed behind his red mask, his amber eyes blazing with the anger he'd held there for the past four days.

"Raph… "

"Leo, ya got der as soon as ya could. Ya got 'er out. Dat's what's important. Ya didn't let da slime ball finish da job. Ya got da antidote fer Donny and ya got 'Lizbeth back here where she could get some help." Raphael stepped up next to his brother and clapped him on the shoulder. "Ya did all ya could fer 'er. Now stop blamin' yerself. Der was nothin' more ya coulda done."

"Raph, I… " Leonardo started.

But Raphael waved him off. "Stop apologizin', Leo. I know ya did what ya could fer 'er. It's up ta 'er if she's gonna pull outta dis."

Donatello was glaring at his red-banded brother. "Raphael, you were supposed to be getting some rest."

Raphael met his brother's gaze evenly. "Ya really think I could sleep, Donny?"

Donatello opened his mouth to snap back but from the corner of his eye he saw Leonardo shake his head minutely. Donatello closed his mouth again, and glared at his brother.

"Mind if I sit with 'er fer a bit, Leo?" Raphael asked.

Leonardo shook his head and rose from the chair. "Go ahead, Raph. I'll spell you in a few hours."

Raphael nodded once to show he understood as he took Leonardo's place, reaching forward and placing a hand on the cot next to Elizabeth's body, not quite but almost touching her.

"Hey, Leo – can I talk to you for a minute?" Donatello said with a pointed glare. It wasn't a question.

Leonardo turned and walked out of the infirmary and towards the kitchen, it would be far enough away that Raphael wouldn't hear a heated whispered discussion. Leonardo automatically reached for the tea kettle, filled it with water and set it on the stove before turning around and facing his furious brother.

"Leo, Raph has been up for four days!" Donatello's normally even temper had reached a breaking point. He glared at his brother, although his own shoulders sagged with fatigue. He'd gotten as much sleep as Raphael had and it was beginning to show.

"Donny," Leonardo said evenly, knowing full well that when Donatello was in doctor mode and had little to no sleep for several days he wasn't a turtle to be messed with. "Do you really think you could keep him away from her right now?"

"If I had to," Donatello insisted.

"Donny, let him be. Raph feels guilty that he wasn't there with us – he feels responsible for Elizabeth."

"Leo, four days ago Raph was going into shock from a bullet graze he had on his arm! He needs the rest!"

"And four days ago, Donny," Leonardo retaliated coolly. "You were dying from poison in a dart that you were shot with. Don't you think you need the rest too?"

Donatello flinched. He should have known that Leonardo would be able to turn it around on him. He always did.

"Fine," Donatello knew when he was beat. "But don't let him stay in there too long. And let me know if anything changes with her."

"I will – I promise, Donny," Leonardo said quickly.

Donatello ground his jaw, obviously still not happy about this. Then he turned and disappeared, heading off to get some much needed sleep of his own.

Leonardo sighed and turned around as the kettle whistled. He knew he would be in for a long night.

* * *

><p>It was well past midnight before Leonardo could convince Raphael to leave his post from Elizabeth's bedside. Raphael had stumbled off into the other room and promptly collapsed on the couch, his chainsaw like snore echoing around the lair.<p>

Leonardo sipped at a cup of tea, listening to Raphael's snoring and counting each of Elizabeth's struggled breaths.

… 209… 210… … … …

Leonardo suddenly sat up straight, reaching forward and pressing his fingers against Elizabeth's neck, fearing the worst. His eyes were wide behind his mask, his tea mug falling from his other hand, shattering upon its impact with the floor.

"Elizabeth!" Leonardo's cry was sharper than he'd intended it to be. He pressed his fingers harder against her neck, and to his surprise found a steady heartbeat beneath his fingers. So why wasn't she… ?

His eyes darted up to her face and he felt relief flow through him when he saw those deep green eyes blinking back at him.

Elizabeth released the breath she'd been holding and took in another, it sounded less strained this time. Leonardo leaned over her, clutching at one arm while he studied her.

"Elizabeth? How do you feel?"

Elizabeth blinked at him, her eyebrows meeting over the bridge of her nose and her eyes crinkling at the corners, they held a somewhat dazed confusion in them that Leonardo did not like.

"Elizabeth – it's Leonardo. Can you hear me?"

Elizabeth's green eyes glazed over, she blinked once more then her eyes slid shut and she relaxed against her pillow.

Leonardo hesitated. Should he go wake Donatello? Elizabeth had only been awake for a minute… but the fact that she had woken up was a good sign right? Leonardo waited for several long minutes but Elizabeth showed no sign of waking up again anytime soon. Leonardo sighed and began to pick up the remains of his teacup. He'd wait and see how Elizabeth was in the morning. Donatello needed his sleep.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth was drifting again, but this time she was much closer to the surface. The burning pain she'd felt before had dulled into a slight discomfort, but it was much more tolerable. She felt stiff, as if she'd been laying still for a very long time. She had a horrible sinking feeling that this was the case, though she still was a little fuzzy on what had happened.<p>

The last thing she could remember was making her way along dark sewer tunnels, pushing aside an unbelievably heavy manhole cover and getting into a cab. She couldn't remember anything after that. So what had happened? Had she been in a car accident?

Elizabeth slowly pried her eyelids open, blinking in amazement at the familiar ceiling. She was back in the lair? But how did she get back down here?

She rolled her head slowly on her pillow and felt another jolt of shock shoot through her body, speeding up her pulse and making her breath catch in her surprise.

Leonardo was sitting in the chair next to her, his eyes were closed, his head down. Was he sleeping? Elizabeth studied him, watching his chest rise and fall with his breathing. No. He wasn't asleep. His breathing was far too controlled for him to be asleep.

"Leo?" Elizabeth tried to talk but found her voice muffled behind a plastic breathing mask that had been strapped over her face.

Leonardo didn't seem to hear her.

Elizabeth slowly stretched out her fingers, just brushing Leonardo's strange leathery skin.

Leonardo's eyes snapped open immediately, his expression hard for a minute before he looked down at her and it softened.

Elizabeth was surprised. She'd never seen this side of the blue-banded turtle.

"Elizabeth," Leonardo said leaning forward and reaching forward, as if he were about to place his hand on her arm but then he thought better of it. "You're awake."

Elizabeth frowned. How long had she been asleep?

"You've been in a coma for the last four days," Leonardo said as if he'd read her mind.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror.

"Hey… hey… take it easy. Deep breaths, Elizabeth," Leonardo instructed. "That's it, nice and easy."

Elizabeth swallowed at the air that flowed through the breathing mask over her mouth and nose hungrily, feeling as if she couldn't get enough oxygen into her lungs fast enough.

"What happened?" Elizabeth gasped.

Leonardo studied her carefully for a minute. "Don't you remember?"

Elizabeth thought about it, but she still couldn't remember getting out of the cab. She knew she had been on her way to Graham's office… to see if he had been the one behind Donatello's capture.

"Is Donatello ok?" Elizabeth tried to sit up but pain ripped through her side, making her gasp in surprise.

"Donny is fine, Elizabeth," Leonardo said, he placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from trying to get up again. "Just take it easy or you're going to tear those stitches and Donny will have my shell."

"He's really ok?" Elizabeth asked, staring into Leonardo's eyes, searching for any sign that he wasn't being completely honest with her.

Leonardo's eyes softened. "I found the antidote and was able to administer it. He was out of it for a while but he came around and there didn't seem to be any permanent damage from whatever poison was in that dart."

"Where did you find him?"

Leonardo suddenly frowned, his eyes worried. "What's the last thing you remember, Elizabeth?"

"Um," Elizabeth hesitated, not sure if she was about to say the wrong thing. "I remember getting into a cab… I was trying to find Graham. I heard you say that you thought the man who had Donatello might have been looking for me. So I left to talk to Graham… to make him let Donatello go."

Leonardo flinched as if she'd hit him, but he controlled himself quickly. "Elizabeth, Mikey and I tracked you to Cooper Enterprises. When we managed to get inside… " He paused, swallowing hard and his eyes hardened a bit. "We found Donny barely conscious, tied up and muzzled and you were… you were barely alive."

"I made it to Graham's office?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt. I never wanted that," Leonardo confessed, tightening his grip on her shoulder.

"Leonardo, I wanted to go. I was the one who put Donatello in danger. I never wanted that. I never meant for you guys to get hurt while trying to protect me."

Leonardo shook his head. "We can look after ourselves, Elizabeth. We could have gotten Donny out without you having to be there. There is no excuse for me being more than willing to put you in harm's way to save my brother."

"But you didn't," Elizabeth insisted. "I went on my own. I chose to go without you dragging me along with you."

"But I would have," Leonardo muttered so quietly Elizabeth wasn't sure if that was what he had really said. Leonardo lifted his head and gave her a crooked smile although his eyes still held that guilty expression. "Can I get anything for you?"

"Actually," Elizabeth said, biting her lip as she felt heat rush up her cheeks. "I'm really hungry."

"Sure, Elizabeth… anything in particular sound good to you?" Leonardo asked, rising stiffly from his seat. He'd lost track of the time when he'd entered his light meditative state. He'd have to go tell Donatello that Elizabeth was awake soon. Otherwise Donatello would have more than his shell.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Anything is fine."

Leonardo disappeared from the infirmary quickly.

Elizabeth relaxed against her pillows, staring up at the cobweb strewn ceiling again. There was something different about Leonardo, the hardness he had always had in his eyes when he'd looked at her was gone. And he'd actually _spoken _directly to her.

That alone was enough to surprise her. All she'd ever gotten from Leonardo before was hard cold stares from those dark brown eyes.

Although she knew that she couldn't blame him for that. Graham could have killed Donatello. If Leonardo and Michelangelo hadn't gotten there when they did Graham could have killed them both. Elizabeth felt a shiver run up her spine.

Had she really been that close to death? And why didn't that bother her more? Why wasn't she upset that the turtles hadn't just left her with the paramedics?

Elizabeth thought about that for a minute, although she knew the answer wasn't hard to find. In the short amount of time she'd come to know them she'd really grown fond of these guys. All of them. And even though she didn't know a couple of them very well – like Leonardo and that rat Michelangelo had called Splinter, she was elated that they had given her another chance at life, and another chance at having them in her life. She had a feeling they didn't do that very often.

Leonardo reentered the infirmary less than fifteen minutes later with a plate and a glass of orange juice.

"I uh… I brought you some eggs," Leonardo said awkwardly setting down both the glass and plate on the desk before helping Elizabeth sit up on her cot. Elizabeth tried not to flinch, but she knew she didn't do a very good job of it. The moment Leonardo helped her up into a semi-sitting position a white hot pain underneath her ribcage blinded her. She cried out involuntarily at the bewildering pain, gasping and feeling hot tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

"Elizabeth? Did I hurt you?" Leonardo demanded, he sounded horrified.

Elizabeth slowly lifted her head and stared up at the blue-banded turtle. Leonardo's eyes were wide behind his mask, his jade colored skin had taken on a grayish tint, which Elizabeth found strange. Could turtles lose any color in their faces? She could have sworn that all the blood had drained from Leonardo's face. Elizabeth swallowed and shook her head, trying to ignore the pain induced nausea.

"I'm fine, Leonardo. Just… just surprised is all."

"I should get Donny," Leonardo said doubtfully, still keeping Elizabeth propped up in his arms.

Elizabeth shook her head again, more vigorously this time. "No – really, I'm fine."

Leonardo's frown deepened. "Elizabeth… "

Elizabeth ignored him, pushing herself up into a more comfortable position and sighed when Leonardo propped her up with several pillows. He didn't look happy, and he still had that indecisive look on his face as if he were going to go and grab his brother despite Elizabeth's assurances that she was fine.

"You sure you didn't tear those stitches?" Leonardo demanded as he retrieved the scrambled eggs and orange juice he'd made for her.

Elizabeth accepted both and gave Leonardo a tight smile. "I didn't tear anything."

Leonardo sat down in the chair, scowling at his knees while Elizabeth started in on the eggs.

Elizabeth didn't say anything while she ate, and Leonardo didn't try to start a conversation. When she'd finished Leonardo took the plate and empty cup and left her once again.

Elizabeth had only been alone for a minute when she heard Donatello and Michelangelo's voices approaching.

"Mikey, she needs to be in a hospital. If she doesn't come out of this coma soon we won't have a choice," Donatello's voice was low and anxious.

"But, Donny, what happens if he goes after her again?" Michelangelo's voice was just as strained. "You saw what she was like… she almost didn't make it."

"I know that, Mikey. But we have to do what's best for Elizabeth. We'll give her one more day… but then we won't have a choice. She should be in a real hospital. We might have caused irreparable damage by not taking her to one in the first place."

Donatello and Michelangelo entered the infirmary.

"Elizabeth!" Michelangelo cried, seeing Elizabeth awake and sitting up on the cot. "You're awake."

"So it seems," Elizabeth said with a grin.

Donatello quickly made his way to the cot and began to examine her, checking her vitals and checking her wounds.

"How's the pain? Does anything feel uncomfortable? Are you hungry?"

"The pain is fine as long as I don't move," Elizabeth reassured him. She winced when Donatello gently prodded her abdomen. "And I'm not hungry – Leo made me some eggs a little while ago."

Michelangelo, still standing next to the door, raised his eye ridges and one of his eyes twitched as a smirk pulled up the corners of his mouth.

"You survived Leo's cooking?" Michelangelo asked with a snort. "Hey, Donny, if she can do that I think she can live through anything."

Michelangelo seemed to find this very funny and began to laugh, wrapping his arms around his sides as if to hold himself together.

A dark green hand appeared out of nowhere and slapped Michelangelo upside the head. "Knock it off, Mikey," Raphael growled as he entered the room.

Elizabeth's heart skipped a beat when she saw him, she could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks when his strange amber eyes regarded her. She had thought she'd never see him again… that she'd never see those strange amber eyes again. She looked away, watching Donatello as he pulled away a bandage on her side, revealing more stitches.

What was wrong with her? Raphael was a turtle and she… well she wasn't. So why did her heart speed up every time he looked at her? What was it about him that made her feel safe whenever he stepped into the room? How come she knew that she had really left that night because she didn't want Raphael to lose a brother? Why had she felt like every step away from Raphael had been like someone slowly chipping away small pieces of herself?

As she peered at Raphael from the corner of her eye to see him leaning against the wall watching Donatello work through narrowed eyes she knew she had her answer. She had fallen in love with him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Continued: Wasn't too sure if I liked the ending to this chapter but it played out the way it played out. Hope it wasn't too corny for anyone. :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys thank you again for those who have reviewed. This chapter took me longer than I thought it would and I'm still not sure if I'm entirely happy with it, but it did get me to the point where I needed it to be. So I hope it was worth the wait. I'll work on the next chapter and have it up as soon as I can. Thanks again for all your support. :D**

**Juubun - enough**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

For Elizabeth the next couple of weeks seemed to drag by. Donatello refused to let her up for anything, which made for some very embarrassing situations that Elizabeth hated to think about. Donatello had stressed to her over and over during these times the seriousness of her injuries and how close she had been to dying. So Elizabeth closed her eyes, bit her lip, and hummed quietly to herself while Donatello did what he needed to.

On the plus side Elizabeth's relationships with the turtles had grown quite a bit over the last couple weeks. Michelangelo was always bringing her stacks of his comic books to try and keep her entertained, Elizabeth had never looked at a comic book before – and while she wasn't very fond of them it was much better than looking at the walls. When not reading his comic books Elizabeth enjoyed hearing Michelangelo spin together wild stories of his favorite super hero the Turtle Titan. Michelangelo always insisted that what he told her was true but the look on Donatello's face, because he was usually on the other side of the infirmary working on his computer, would tell Elizabeth otherwise.

Donatello was much quieter than his brother, he went about the infirmary checking her wounds without saying much and then would go to his computer to work. Elizabeth would watch in fascination for hours as jumbled symbols would flash across the screen that Donatello seemed perfectly capable of decoding. It was fascinating watching him scribble down things and check encyclopedia sized books to check references. Whenever he wasn't working on his computer he seemed to be tinkering with odd gadgets, a constant line between his eye ridges and often times his tongue poked from the corner of his mouth as he concentrated. She'd seen him repair many things over the last couple weeks and had no doubt in her mind that Donatello was definitely the mechanical genius of the family. It seemed strange that his hands, which looked rather large and awkward, could handle and fix something so small.

And then there was Leonardo. He came in almost every night. His demeanor towards her had changed considerably over the past couple weeks and Elizabeth had really come to like him. She enjoyed the conversations that she had with him, enjoyed the way gold specks seemed to light up in his eyes when he told her about their friends April and Casey, or when she asked him what meditation was. He had a spiritual presence about him, as if he were very tuned in with the spirit world beyond this one. His disposition was still just as strong as it had been the first time she'd seen him, but now she was on the opposite side of the wall, no longer was he protecting his brothers from her, but he was protecting her from whatever Graham might try to do to her. Elizabeth didn't know what it was about Leonardo, but he made her feel just as protected as Raphael did. Whenever he was in the room with her she knew she was safe, that anyone trying to hurt her would have to get through him first, and she had a feeling that that would be no easy task even for the most experienced of Graham's thugs.

Raphael on the other hand had spent very little time with Elizabeth, and whenever he was with her he seemed very distant and cold – almost like how Leonardo had treated her at first. She often saw him pass in front of the infirmary, those strange weapons of his clenched in his hands, his face hard and his eyes like flint. He would often scowl at nothing, as if his mind were somewhere else. This side of Raphael frightened her a little. What had made him change so quickly? Why was he avoiding her?

"Well everything looks like it is healing up really well, Elizabeth," Donatello said at the end of two weeks as he redressed the wound underneath her ribcage. He'd taken the stitches out a couple days ago but had insisted on keeping the wound dressed to keep it as clean as possible. Elizabeth's ribs were still sore but Donatello had assured her that they were mending and the swelling and bruises on her face were fading slowly, although the bruises marring her neck were still distinctly defined.

"If things look ok I think we can move you out of here tomorrow," Donatello said with a smile as he began to put away his things.

"Move me out of here?" Elizabeth asked, wondering if Donatello was going to insist that she go see a real doctor.

Donatello paused, looking at her with a puzzled expression. "Aren't you sick of the infirmary? Mikey fixed up the guest room for you – it would be more comfortable for you there."

Relief washed over Elizabeth's face and she grinned.

Donatello grinned back. "I thought so," he chuckled.

His mood abruptly changed when Leonardo stepped into the infirmary, his brown eyes dark and angry behind his blue mask.

"Leo… ?" Donatello asked, concerned.

"Mikey said he'd sit with her tonight," Leonardo said glancing quickly at Elizabeth and softening his tone when he saw her stunned expression. "I'm going to go find Raph."

Donatello's eyes narrowed. "Where is he?"

Leonardo gave him a pointed look and Donatello's jaw bulged a little as he clenched his teeth. He nodded once at his brother and then hurried to his computer. "If he took his shell cell I might be able to give you an idea of where he is, Leo."

Leonardo turned to Elizabeth with a tight lipped smile. "Mikey has the guest room all set up for you, Elizabeth, so if Donny says it's ok we can get you set up in the morning."

"Thanks, Leo," Elizabeth whispered.

"He's on Park Avenue, Leo – he might be heading for Central Park," Donatello called over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Donny." Leonardo turned back to Elizabeth. "See you in the morning, Elizabeth."

"Leo?" Elizabeth reached out and brushed Leonardo's jade colored skin. Leonardo paused, waiting. Elizabeth could feel warmth spreading in her cheeks and bit her lip.

"What is it, Elizabeth?" Leonardo's tone was patient although he shifted his weight impatiently.

"Nothing… never mind," Elizabeth said dropping her gaze to her lap.

Leonardo frowned but didn't press her. Instead he turned away and hurried out of the infirmary.

Donatello shut down his computer and set an encyclopedia sized book of electronics down on his desk and gave Elizabeth a tight smile.

"You want me to stay until Mikey gets here?"

Elizabeth shook her head, still not looking up from her lap.

"Leo wasn't trying to be rude, Elizabeth," Donatello said gently.

"I know that," Elizabeth said simply.

"Then what is it?"

Elizabeth shook her head, biting her lip.

Donatello frowned and moved closer to the cot, he sat next to her hip and gently lifted her chin so she had to look him in the eyes. "Elizabeth, what's bothering you?"

"Raph left?" Elizabeth asked, she stared into Donatello's chocolate brown eyes, her own green eyes unusually bright.

"Raph goes out all the time, Elizabeth. We all do. Going topside is the best way for us to blow off steam and get exercise. Raph's been feeling a little cooped up lately is all. He doesn't like being down here for this long. He'd usually go out with Casey but with Casey still out of town Raph is getting restless. Leo just didn't want him going out tonight because it is supposed to storm is all."

"So he isn't… he's not mad at me?"

Donatello's frown deepened. "Why would you think that?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I just haven't seen him much is all. And whenever he's in here with me… he seems so… I don't know… "

Donatello's jaw tightened. "That's just Raph being Raph, Elizabeth. It doesn't have anything to do with you. He isn't mad at you."

"But he seems so distant… " Elizabeth protested.

Donatello closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead wearily as if he suddenly had a headache. "Elizabeth, Raph was pretty upset when Leo and Mikey brought you back after… well, after… "

Elizabeth flinched.

"After I came around and was able to help you I was hard pressed to get Raph to leave you. He didn't sleep or eat for four days, it was almost impossible to get him to do anything else but sit here with you. He was really quiet – which scared us more than if he'd started breaking stuff. I've never seen Raph so angry before. If Sensei hadn't told him that revenge wouldn't help you and that he'd do more good by staying here with you… well, I don't think we could have stopped him from going after Graham himself."

"But I'm ok now," Elizabeth pointed out.

Donatello nodded. "Yes that's true, but, Elizabeth, I don't know if realize how close you were to not making it. By the time I came around it was taking all the skills they had for Sensei and Leo to keep you alive. I thought it was best to get you up to a hospital, somewhere that you could have the proper equipment to take care of you but Raph wouldn't have it. He said it wasn't safe for you up there, that the best place for you was here. I told him that if we kept you down here you could die… but he wouldn't budge, and Mikey backed him up."

Elizabeth pondered that for a minute, wondering if she should be angry that Raphael was willing to risk her life by keeping her down here. But there was no anger in her, in fact her heart fluttered at the thought that Raphael had wanted to keep her down here, that he had wanted her close. And she knew that if she had had a choice she would have done the same thing.

"Elizabeth, Raph cares about you. He doesn't always show it, but he doesn't want anything else to happen to you. Leo is worried he's going to go after Graham alone."

Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror. "He wouldn't do that would he, Donny?"

"It wouldn't be the first time Raph's temper has clouded his judgment," Donatello said with a shake of his head. "The real problem is that when Leo and Mikey took you away from Cooper Enterprises there was no proof that Graham had nearly killed you, so he wasn't arrested. With Graham running the company he could easily tamper with the security videos and there would be no proof convicting him."

"What if Graham tries again?" Elizabeth screeched, grabbing Donatello's arm and digging her nails into his soft flesh, Donatello grimaced. "If he's still free and Leo and Raph are up there what's going to stop him from going after them?"

"Leo and Raph can take care of themselves. Graham might take on more than he bargained for if he tried something with them, plus they both have a score to settle with him. Leo might not be looking for a fight but Raph is. And at this point I don't think he cares who it is. When he gets like that it is usually best to stay out of his way."

"And Leo?"

"Leo is just going to try and bring Raph back. We normally don't go topside when it rains, it makes the rooftops slick."

"You guys climb on the rooftops?"

Donatello gave her a slightly sad smile. "Well we have to get around the city somehow and we obviously can't walk among the crowds of people on the street now can we?"

"No I guess not," Elizabeth agreed. "So you just climb up and down the fire escapes?"

"No, not really," Donatello grinned, his eyes dancing with a spark of humor. "We jump from roof to roof."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped and she had to fumble around for a minute before remembering how to close it. "You… you jump?"

Donatello laughed. "We're more agile than the average human, Elizabeth."

"Is that how Mikey and Leo followed me to Cooper Enterprises?"

"Yes, after getting Raph set up in the infirmary Leo came out to discover you were gone. He was really angry and he and Mikey went after you. By the time they reached the surface you were already on the sidewalk. It was too crowded for them to drag you back so they made their way to the rooftops to keep track of you. Leo said you went to the street corner then hailed a cab. They were hard pressed to keep track of you but they were able to follow you to Cooper Enterprises. They saw you enter Graham's office… and well you know the rest."

Elizabeth did know the rest she didn't need to hear it again.

"Leo isn't still mad with me about that is he?"

The ridges over Donatello's eyes furrowed. "No he isn't. When he and Mikey followed you to Cooper Enterprises he thought that maybe you were in on the whole thing, that you were working for one of our enemies and you were leading them into a trap. That is why they didn't act until they saw you go into Graham's office. Leo wanted to have the element of surprise to see what side you were really on. Mikey got to the window first and he saw Graham's hand around your throat and Leo got there just in time to see Graham throw you to the floor. He knew then that you hadn't gone there to betray us. He was so scared you wouldn't even make it back to the lair, but he couldn't leave you there – not with them. So he did what he thought was best."

"I'm just glad they showed up when they did," Elizabeth whispered, a few tears running down her cheeks.

"Elizabeth?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you go to Cooper Enterprises? You knew Graham would be there… what he would do to you. So why did you risk it?"

Elizabeth pursed her lips and gave him a look that told him that he should have known the answer to this already.

"I couldn't let him hurt you, Donny. I knew he wasn't looking for you or your brothers it was me he was after. He must have had some reason to suspect that I was with you – I knew if I went back he might let you go. I had to try – after everything you'd done for me I couldn't let him kill you."

"Elizabeth, he almost killed you!" Donatello's normally soft voice was suddenly sharp. "Leo and Mikey would have found me… would have gotten me out!"

"Leo wanted to take me in himself, Donny."

Donatello glared at her. "Leo wouldn't have… "

"You didn't hear him that night!" Elizabeth interrupted. "Splinter asked him if he was willing to hand me over to them and he said he would if that was what it took to get you back! He was scared! And he had every right to be! I know what kind of a man Graham is, Donny! You don't have to tell me he's a lunatic and that he's dangerous. I married him, I've _lived _with him. Don't you think I'd know what kind of men he deals with, how dangerous he can be? This wouldn't be the first "accident" I've had since I've married him! I was the one who put you guys in danger, I knew what he wanted. If I hadn't gone Leo would have taken me! I didn't want it to be that way! I wanted it to be my choice and I wasn't about to let him kill you!"

Donatello's expression had darkened, his normally soft chocolate brown eyes had taken a dangerous edge that looked very foreign on the purple-clad turtle's face. "What do you mean this wasn't your first "accident"? He's done this to you before?"

"I tried to leave him," All the anger had drained from Elizabeth's voice. "He was so angry when he saw my packed bags. I don't really remember anything after the first few blows but I woke up in the hospital a few days later. They told me I'd fallen down the stairs. They said it was an accident. I didn't correct them because I knew Graham would do worse to me when he got me home."

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"Graham has friends in high places. He's paid off a lot of people to keep their silence or to bury things about him. A few pay offs in the right hands often go a long way. My blood isn't the first blood he's spilled. He's come home a couple nights with blood on his clothes and it is never his. I never know what he's done – he doesn't like questions."

"And he's never been caught?" Donatello was incredulous.

"Graham hides his tracks well, I've seen some things on the news that don't make sense. Strange disappearances, familiar faces I've seen come to the penthouse who have just suddenly vanished only to be found a few weeks later the victims of some horrible crime gone wrong. There's never any evidence leading back to Graham. All these crimes happen so far away from Cooper Enterprises and Graham always makes sure no one knows he had a connection with the victim. He's a master of deception. He had me fooled up until we were married and then I saw who he really was behind the mask."

Elizabeth spun her wedding ring on her finger, watching the large diamond glitter in the light. After a moment she slipped it off and held it out to Donatello who took it with a puzzled expression.

"Before you go to bed will you get rid of this, Donny? I can't stand to wear it anymore."

"Sure, Elizabeth," Donatello said securing the ring in his fist. "Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, I'd just like to be alone for a minute if you don't mind."

Donatello rose from the cot and walked away, only pausing briefly at the door. "Good night, Elizabeth."

"Night, Donny." Elizabeth's voice was choked and as Donatello walked away he could have sworn he heard her begin to cry quietly.

* * *

><p>Raphael sat on the edge of the apartment building, staring across the street to the dark shadows of Central Park. His legs dangled lazily over the side, he knew he was up high enough that no one on the streets could see him properly and he knew that even the top floor windows were down too low to see his legs here. He also knew he wouldn't have to worry about unexpected company coming to the roof to get some fresh air, not with the way the lightning was flashing across the sky and the rumbling sounds of thunder that were promising rain.<p>

He knew he'd made Leonardo angry by coming up here when he'd told him to stay put because of the storm, but the anger that had been simmering beneath the surface for the last two weeks had finally reached the boiling point and Raphael had lashed out, shoving Leonardo aside and running out into the sewers. He was just happy he hadn't clocked his brother one, Splinter would have made him do flips for that one.

Lightning shot from the clouds and was followed by a sharp crack. Raphael knew he should head back. It wasn't safe to be out here during a storm like this and that bolt had been close. He'd heard Donatello telling Michelangelo once that he could always tell how close a lightning bolt was by how close the thunder followed.

_Light travels faster than sound, Mikey. So when the thunder makes that low rumbling sound that takes a few seconds to get to us it means that the lightning isn't as close as you'd think. But if the lightning is followed by a sharp crack almost instantly it was really close._

"I thought I'd find you here."

Raphael dropped his head staring at the sidewalk many stories below them. He heard his brother's faint footsteps getting closer and then suddenly Leonardo was sitting beside him, staring out at the dark trees of Central Park, his eyes narrowed behind his mask.

"Leo, I didn't mean ta… I wasn't tryin' ta… " Raphael stammered not looking at his brother.

"It's ok, Raph," Leonardo sighed. "I guess I can't blame you for wanting to get out."

The brothers sat in silence for several long minutes, not speaking. Finally Leonardo cleared his throat.

"Raph, what's going on with you and Elizabeth?"

Raphael's eyes bulged behind his mask and he turned to Leonardo his expression stunned. "What's dat supposed ta mean?"

Leonardo stared back at him evenly. "Raph, you stay by her side the entire time she's comatose but when she wakes up you avoid being in the same room with her? You really think she wouldn't notice? I heard her asking Donny about it before I left. She sounded really upset."

"Nothin' is goin' on between us, fearless," Raphael snapped.

"Then why are you avoiding her?"

"I ain't doin' no such ting, fearless!"

"Ok, Raph," Leonardo knew better than to push him. "You wouldn't mind taking over tomorrow night's shift for me then would you? Donny is planning on moving her to the guest room tomorrow but someone should still check in on her every couple hours. Master Splinter wanted me to go on a supply run with him."

"So have Mikey or Donny do it."

"Why can't you?"

Raphael glared straight ahead of him, his jaw clenched tight enough to make the muscles twitch.

Leonardo sighed. "What's really bothering you, Raph?"

"Nothin'."

Leonardo raised an eye ridge.

"I… I just keep seein' 'er like dat, Leo. All still and pale."

"She's going to make a full recovery, Raph," Leonardo said gently.

"I know dat!" Raphael snapped angrily. "But dat whole time I was sittin' with 'er I couldn't help but tink dat bringin' 'er down ta da lair coulda cost Donny 'is life. If ya guys hadn't gotten der in time… "

"So you don't think you should have saved her?"

"Dat ain't what I meant!"

"Then what is it, Raph?"

"I don't know – I just… somethin' is still eatin' at me. I can't shake off dis feelin'."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like I gotta… a hole in my gut, Leo. Somethin' just ain't sittin' right here."

"Something about Elizabeth?" Leonardo asked, frowning.

"No it's dat slimeball of 'ers. Graham. We gotta do somethin' about 'im, Leo. It ain't right dat he just gets ta walk around free after what he did."

"We'll take care of Graham, Raph. But right now Elizabeth needs us more."

"We gotta keep 'im away from 'er, Leo. We can't let 'im do dat ta 'er again."

"We will, bro," Leonardo said placing a hand on Raphael's shoulder. Raphael twitched but didn't shrug it off. "But let's take care of Elizabeth first. Get her healed up and find a safe place for her to stay. Somewhere that he won't ever find her again."

Raphael glared out into the dark as another bolt of lightning shot across the sky.

"Come on," Leonardo said standing up and offering a hand to his brother. "We should get back. Donny said this storm was going to be a bad one."

Raphael took his brother's hand and let Leonardo help him up. Leonardo took off at a sprint heading in the direction he'd come. Raphael let his brother get a head start then took off after him, letting his anger fuel his stride. He barely noticed with a silver curtain of rain covered the city.

He knew his brother was right. Right now Elizabeth needed him more. Graham could wait. But he was determined to settle the score with Graham no matter how long it took him.

* * *

><p>"Morning, Elizabeth!"<p>

Elizabeth opened up her eyes to see a green and orange blur leaning over her. "Mikey?"

"You hungry? Breakfast is almost ready – then we can get you moved into the guest room."

"Mikey, your pancakes are burning," Donatello said dryly as he entered the room.

"AHHHH… " Michelangelo hurried out of the room.

Donatello chuckled a little. "We thought you'd like to come join us in the kitchen for breakfast this morning, Elizabeth."

"Um," Elizabeth sat up rubbing her eyes and brushing her hair away from her face. She was very aware that she hadn't had a shower since before she'd met these turtles. To have to sit down with them in a close vicinity and eat with them was something she'd prefer to do after she'd had a chance to clean up first.

"Would you prefer to eat in here?" Donatello asked confused.

"No, it's not that, Donny. I just… can I get cleaned up first?" Elizabeth thought longingly of the shower she'd seen in the turtles' bathroom.

"Oh, uh, sure of course… " Donatello's face darkened a little and Elizabeth was surprised to realize that he was blushing. "Raph grabbed some extra clothes from your place for you. Donatello picked up a medium sized bag and offered Elizabeth a hand.

Elizabeth allowed Donatello to help her from the room. The sweet smell of hotcakes was perfuming the lair, and the soft clanking of something banging from within the kitchen echoed around the room. Leonardo was sitting on the couch watching the news and Raphael was slowly walking down the stairs looking as if he'd been up half the night.

Elizabeth blushed when she saw him, but Raphael didn't seem to notice her. Elizabeth wasn't sure if she was happy or upset about that. She decided it was probably best, with her not getting cleaned up for a little over two weeks.

It only took them a few minutes to reach the bathroom, he handed her the bag of clothes and flipped on the light.

"Here, Elizabeth, just yell if you need anything," Donatello's face darkened with embarrassment again and Elizabeth could feel her own face flush.

"I'll… I'll be fine. Thanks, Donny."

Elizabeth closed and locked the door, avoiding her reflection in the mirror. She didn't want to see how hideous she looked after two weeks. She could feel the grease in her hair and how oily her skin had gotten. She didn't even want to think about the fact that she hadn't shaved her legs for so long. She set the bag Donatello had given her on the counter and opened it, wondering what on earth Raphael could have possibly picked out for her.

There were several folded shirts on top of the pile and underneath those were several pairs of jeans. Elizabeth pulled out a dark red shirt and pair of jeans that Raphael had picked out for her, a flash of color underneath the jeans made her pause. Pushing aside a few pairs of jeans Elizabeth felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she realized that Raphael had packed her clean underwear. Just imagining Raphael going through her underwear was enough to make her reconsider going out to join the brothers for breakfast. Not that she wasn't grateful for clean underwear. she was! But it had been Raphael that had gone through her underwear drawer. That would have been embarrassing enough but most of the underwear she owned were thongs.

Elizabeth tied up the bag, deciding not to dwell on it. She had a feeling if she took too long Donatello would come looking for her. She pulled her soiled clothes off and set them on the counter, then stepped into the shower, pulling the shower curtain closed and turned on the water.

The hot water felt good against her bruised skin, she tipped her head back, letting the water run over her face and soaking her hair. She found a small bar of soap on the side of the tub and ran it over her skin, wincing a little when she rubbed it against her neck.

Elizabeth spent as much time as she dared in the shower, just allowing the water to run over her skin, but when the water started to run cold Elizabeth shut off the taps and wrung out her hair. She felt much better, more like her old self and much more civilized.

Grabbing a towel from the towel rack Elizabeth wrapped it around herself and stepped out running her fingers through her clean hair.

"Elizabeth?" Donatello called through the door. "Are you ok?"

Elizabeth flushed. "Yeah, I'm fine, Donny."

"Mikey's got breakfast all ready."

"Ok, I'll uh… I'll be right out."

Elizabeth pulled on the underwear and jeans she'd pulled out of the bag, then realized she hadn't seen a clean bra. She pulled the bag of clothes over again and dug through the piles of clothes until she found a clean bra and to her surprise a small bag of toiletries including a hair brush, rubber bands, razor, and toothbrush.

"He really did think of everything," Elizabeth muttered. She finished getting dressed and ran her hairbrush through her tangled hair until it was perfectly straight. She was pleased to see the bruises on her neck weren't as dark as they had been before and she actually looked halfway decent now that she was in clean clothes and her hair no longer looked like a messy hay stack.

"Elizabeth?" Donatello knocked again.

"Coming," Elizabeth put her things back into the bag and opened the bathroom door.

Donatello smiled at her. "Come on we'd better hurry if you want to eat – Mikey might devour everything before we get there."

Elizabeth laughed. "Ok, Donny."

Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, and Michelangelo were all at the table when Elizabeth and Donatello joined them. An extra chair had been put next to Michelangelo's place and a plate with three pancakes with bacon and eggs was waiting for her. The brothers, who had been teasing each other casually before they arrived, froze when Donatello and Elizabeth entered the kitchen.

"Wow, you clean up good, Elizabeth," Michelangelo grinned.

Elizabeth blushed and dropped her eyes to the floor.

Raphael smacked Michelangelo upside the head. "Can it, Mikey."

"Please, miss Elizabeth-san, have a seat," Splinter said giving Elizabeth a small smile. He gestured to the seat next to Michelangelo while Donatello took his seat next to Leonardo.

Elizabeth was very aware of Raphael's eyes on her as she walked around the brothers to her seat next to Michelangelo. She sat down and stared at her pile of pancakes. She cut a small piece and put it in her mouth. Her eyes widened. Michelangelo had made her breakfast before but it was usually nothing more than scrambled eggs with toast. She had to admit that Michelangelo was a really good cook, though she still didn't approve of his teasing Leonardo about his culinary skills.

"Hey April and Casey are supposed to be back tonight," Michelangelo said grinning over his own plate of pancakes. He helped himself to more scrambled eggs from the bowl in the middle of the table.

"'Bout time dat bonehead got back here," Raphael growled through a mouthful of pancakes.

"Yeah cause the DVD player hasn't been smashed for almost a month," Michelangelo sniggered.

Raphael elbowed him making Michelangelo choke on his pancakes. "Shell fer brains."

Elizabeth watched with wide eyes as Michelangelo coughed and gasped for a minute before he finally seemed to get his pancake down. The others watched with mixed emotions of amusement and concern as Michelangelo took a big drink which seemed to quiet his coughing fit.

"Raphael, juubun," Splinter said quietly. Although his tone wasn't harsh and his expression didn't really look angry Raphael flinched.

"Sorry, Mikey."

Michelangelo just waved off his brother's apology. Elizabeth wasn't sure if Michelangelo was able to speak yet or not. She helped herself to another bite of pancake, concentrating on her plate, although she didn't feel remotely hungry anymore. What little she had already eaten was sitting in her stomach like a pile of rocks.

"Think we should have them over for a movie night?" Michelangelo asked once he was able to speak without coughing again, although his voice still sounded a little shaky.

"I think it would be wise to let April and Casey have some time alone, my son," Splinter said quietly. "After being away for so long they will enjoy the time of being home alone together."

"We'll invite them over in a few days, Mikey." Donatello said with a grin as he pushed his empty plate away and picked up his cup of coffee. "I need to talk to April about something anyways."

Donatello meet Elizabeth's eyes momentarily, but then she dropped her eyes to her barely touched food again.

"Elizabeth, aren't you hungry?" Leonardo asked quietly.

Elizabeth flushed as every eye turned in her direction. She tapped her pancake with the back of her fork, she was suddenly finding it hard to swallow. Bile rose in her throat and she suddenly knew that what she'd eaten wasn't going to stay down.

"I… " Elizabeth's eyes bulged as her stomach churned violently. "Excuse me."

Elizabeth bolted from the table, her hand clamped firmly over her mouth as she streaked towards the bathroom, slamming the door behind her and barely making it to the toilet before she was violently sick. Tears ran down her cheeks and throat ached as she leaned prayed violently to the porcelain god, gagging at the taste that still lingered in her mouth. Her long dark hair started to fall forward, but a pair of dark green hands pulled it back into a ponytail on her neck, preventing her from getting sick all over it.

Elizabeth was grateful for that, although she was very embarrassed that one of the turtles was in here with her.

"Just take it easy, 'Lizbeth."

Elizabeth heaved again and gasped for air, choking as more tears ran down her cheeks. There was nothing more for her to expel, stomach acid burned her esophagus. Elizabeth choked and let out a soft sob. She just wanted to lie down here on the bathroom floor, to close her eyes and forget about this.

"Ya done?" Raphael asked her quietly.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Come on," Raphael hauled Elizabeth to her feet. She heard the toilet flush and then she was at the sink the cold water tap running. "Wash yer mouth out – it'll help."

Elizabeth did as Raphael said, rinsing out her mouth many times before finally sagging, exhausted against the countertop.

"Come on, Mikey's got da guest room set up fer ya," Raphael said wrapping an arm around her waist to help support her.

"Raph?"

"Yeah, 'Lizbeth?"

"You guys aren't going to make me leave are you?" Elizabeth turned so she could stare into Raphael's strange amber eyes. "Now that April and Casey are back… you aren't going to make me go back are you?"

Raphael's expression darkened although his strange amber eyes softened in understanding. "'Lizbeth, no one is gonna make ya leave until ya feel like yer ready ta leave."

"But I can't stay down here forever can I?" Elizabeth couldn't hold his gaze, she was afraid of his answer.

"'Lizbeth, ya really don't wanna stay down here ferever do ya?" Raphael grabbed her chin forcing her to look at him.

"I don't want to lose you guys," Elizabeth whispered, her eyes focusing on Raphael's plastron. "I finally feel like I've got part of my life back – something I thought I'd never have again after marrying Graham, but you guys gave it back to me. I don't want to lose it."

"Ya know I ain't never gonna let 'im hurt ya again don't ya, Elizabeth?"

"I trust you, Raph. But I don't see how you can protect me if I'm not with you."

"'Lizbeth, we're not gonna let ya go until we're sure dat yer safe. Donny was just thinkin' dat maybe April would know of a good place fer ya when all dis is over. But ya don't have ta go until ya want ta go. We ain't gonna kick ya out. Leavin', well dat's up ta whatever ya decide whenever ya feel yer ready."

"Really?"

"Do ya tink I'd lie?" Raphael growled softly.

Elizabeth looked into Raphael's burning amber eyes for a long moment and felt relief wash through her when she saw nothing but sincerity there. "No, I don't think you would, Raph."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey everyone. First of all thank you for all the well wishes and PMs you guys sent for my husband. This week has been very stressful for us. Fortunately considering the location of the clot that caused his stroke it was relatively minor. So we have been very grateful for small favors this week. He is doing much better and was able to come home Wednesday night. Yesterday was harder for him but today he is doing much better so hopefully the worst is behind us. I really appreciate your guys' patience with the delay. I've spent so much time at the hospital this week and I've been such an emotional wreck that I couldn't even begin to focus on writing. **

**So thank you guys again for everything. If things continue to improve around here then hopefully I'll be able to update more regularly again. I hope this chapter was the worth the wait for you. You guys have been great. Enjoy**

**Ohayo gozaimasu - Good Morning**

**Otousan - Father**

**Musuko - Son**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

Donatello insisted that Elizabeth get some rest, the line between his eyes clearly telling her that he thought she'd over done it and that was what caused her to lose her breakfast. Or what she'd eaten of it anyway.

So Elizabeth found herself once again confined to bed, although this time she had to admit her accommodations were much more pleasant now. The guest room was larger than the infirmary, and with a lot less in it. A second hand dresser was pushed up against one wall, the mirror hanging above it was slightly lopsided and not in much better condition than the mirror in the bathroom was. What looked like a handmade bookshelf was in the far corner with some rather tired dog eared books sitting on the shelves, Elizabeth had made out a few of the titles and none of them really appealed to her. Although she recognized a few of them, but she couldn't imagine four teenage brothers getting into romance novels. She figured that this April woman she'd heard the brothers talking about over the past couple weeks had brought them down when she visited.

Elizabeth sat back against the pillows propping her up with a sigh. Although the twin sized bed she was on was much more comfortable than the cot in the infirmary she wasn't thrilled about being confined to bed rest again when she had just been released.

Raphael had left her alone shortly after helping her get comfortable in the guest room, Elizabeth had been a bit embarrassed with the selection of pajamas he'd brought for her – most of them being spaghetti straps and loose cotton bottoms that always showed off her figure perfectly. Raphael had put a pair on the bed for her and left to give her some privacy so she could change. When she had he hadn't come back.

Instead Donatello had come in to check on her, checking her blood pressure and her pupil dilation. Elizabeth thought it was all unnecessary, especially since Donatello seemed pleased with what he saw, but still she couldn't help but notice the way his eyes would flash with concern when he looked at her. Elizabeth hated that, she hated feeling like an invalid.

Shortly after Donatello left Michelangelo had come in to keep her company, although this time he'd left the comics behind. He sat on her bed for hours telling her corny jokes that Elizabeth didn't really understand but he thought were very funny. He would rock back and forth holding himself around the middle as if he thought he might explode from laughing so hard.

After a while Elizabeth had pretended to be tired, Michelangelo had left her alone to get some rest and Elizabeth had laid down, curling her legs up as close as she could to her body while she hugged a spare pillow to her chest.

She must have fallen asleep, although she couldn't remember even closing her eyes. But suddenly she found herself blinking herself awake to a dark room, her door was slightly ajar, and the lair outside was just as dark and equally quiet.

Elizabeth rolled out of bed, she really wanted a drink of water. She was glad that she had gotten a good lay out of the guest room earlier so she knew she wouldn't trip over anything.

She paused outside her room, her eyes adjusting to what little light there was as she looked around the lair.

The door to Donatello's lab was open, the lights off. The entertainment center was dark, the furniture empty. Elizabeth made her way across the room towards the kitchen, she hoped the turtles wouldn't mind her helping herself to a drink. She still felt like a guest in their home, and normally she wouldn't help herself to someone else's kitchen but she didn't want to wake the turtles for something as simple as a glass of water.

Elizabeth's hand roamed the wall of the kitchen for a minute before she found the switch, then the room blazed with light, making Elizabeth's eyes water and she had to close them quickly. After a moment she was able to open them again. She looked around the small kitchen, marveling at the accommodations the turtles had access to down here in the sewers. She would have never thought that such a place like the turtles' lair could even exist, let alone it having a stove and refrigerator. There was even a toaster and microwave sitting on the counter. Although she had to admit the toaster looked like it had seen better days with its many dings – she had a feeling that Donatello had probably fixed it more than once.

The refrigerator hummed quietly and a teapot sat on the back burner of the stove.

Elizabeth hesitated, she wasn't sure where to begin looking for a cup. She decided to try the cupboard right next to the sink, that was where she usually kept her cups. She smiled when she opened the cupboard and found several cups of many different sizes and colors sitting on the shelves. She helped herself to a red one and shut the cupboard before filling her cup up with water from the tap.

The water was cold and sweet, something she hadn't expected. She drank half the cup in a few short swallows.

Something warm and furry rubbed up against her leg. Elizabeth choked, sputtered and dropped the cup. It landed on the floor with a crash, spilling water across the floor.

An orange alley cat hissed as he was splattered with water and darted across the kitchen, leaping up onto the counter and watched her with wide wary yellow eyes.

"Oh my, oh – I'm sorry, kitty," Elizabeth cooed softly to the cat as she picked up her cup and set it in the sink. She spotted a rag draped over the faucet and used it to mop up the spilled water. Then she cautiously approached the large alley cat. "How did you manage to get down here, kitty?"

The cat's tail twitched as she approached but he didn't move to leap away from her. Instead he let her approach him and when she stretched out her fingers to stroke him he sniffed them cautiously before promptly turning around and licking his hind leg.

Elizabeth hesitantly rubbed his ear watching him for any sign that he was suddenly going to turn on her. He didn't instead he stopped licking his long soft orange fur and turned back to her, lifting his chin as if enjoying the attention. Elizabeth smiled a little and moved her hand to gently scratch him under the chin. The cat's eyes lazily slid shut and he rolled onto his side, purring like an old rusty motor. His tail flicked lazily and he laid one paw on her wrist, extending his claws slightly, not enough to puncture her skin, but enough for her to feel the sharp tips.

"Certainly are a friendly little guy aren't you?" Elizabeth laughed quietly as the cat's rough tongue began to lick her arm while his other paw wrapped around her wrist, locking it in place.

"You're up early."

The voice was so unexpected that Elizabeth jumped and jerked in surprise, the cat's claws sank into her wrist and Elizabeth wrenched it away automatically. The cat rolled back to his feet, gave her a disgruntled look then leapt lightly to the floor, swished his tail twice then strode out of the kitchen, barely acknowledging the blue-banded turtle standing in the doorway.

Elizabeth barely had time to register what had happened before a leathery hand had grabbed her uninjured arm and was pulling her to the sink.

Pinkish tinges of bloody water swirled down the drain, Elizabeth watched blankly as Leonardo doctored her scratched wrist, wrapping a dishrag around it before he retrieved a small roll of gauze and tape. He wrapped her wrist carefully and set the extra materials along with the soiled dishtowel next to the sink.

"Are you ok, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth blinked and stared up into Leonardo's concerned dark brown eyes. She nodded mutely.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Klunk normally doesn't scratch anyone. You caught him by surprise."

"Klunk?" Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from asking.

Leonardo nodded as he grabbed the tea kettle and filled it with water. "Mikey's cat. He brought him home one Christmas – said he found him wandering through the park."

"So he actually lives here?"

Leonardo paused, giving Elizabeth a very hard look that made her cheeks flood with blood when she realized how that must have sounded to him.

"I didn't mean it like that, Leo," Elizabeth said quickly. "I just didn't realize that Mikey had a pet."

"It's alright, Elizabeth," Leonardo said a bit stiffly, which told her that she wasn't quite forgiven.

Elizabeth sighed quietly to herself and sat down at the table, watching while Leonardo pulled a teacup and teabag from the cupboard.

Leonardo kept his back to her while he waited for the water to boil, his shoulders were tense and his hands were gripping the edge of the counter tight enough to make his skin turn an oddly grayish green. Elizabeth realized with a start that if she had been gripping the counters with that kind of strength her hands would have been white.

"Leo, I'm… I'm sorry I really didn't mean to… "

Leonardo sighed, his shoulders relaxing and his head dropping forward so low that Elizabeth could only see his mask tails.

"I know you didn't mean anything by it, Elizabeth," Leonardo said quietly, still not looking at her. "You should have Donny look at that when he gets up though."

Elizabeth looked at the bandage and was surprised to see that a fine red line of blood had seeped through the layers. She touched it gingerly and her fingertips came away wet.

"I didn't realize he'd gotten so deep," Elizabeth admitted.

Leonardo looked at her over his shoulder, his dark brown eyes narrowed behind his mask. He saw the line of red on the gauze bandages. "Does it hurt?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No not really."

"Well Donny will be up in an hour – after his coffee I'm sure he'd be happy to look at it for you."

The tea kettle whistled and Leonardo removed it from the burner, pouring it into an ocean blue cup and added the tea bag.

Elizabeth toyed with the edges of the white gauze bandage. Although Leonardo had done a decent job binding it and stopping her from bleeding all over the place the soft gauze was starting to irritate her skin.

"Would you like some tea, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth jumped, startled by his question. "Uh, sure. Thanks, Leo – that'd be great."

Leonardo pulled out a second cup and teabag. He poured some hot water into the cup and added the teabag, then holding both cups as if they weren't very hot Leonardo turned around and handed one to Elizabeth, she accepted it with a slight smile.

"So what were you doing up so early?" Leonardo asked as he sat down across from her, cradling his tea in his hands.

"I wanted to get a drink of water."

Leonardo's eye ridges met as he stared at her over his tea.

"I'm sorry – I shouldn't have without asking first. This isn't… I mean I don't live here. I didn't have any business to help myself in the kitchen."

Leonardo scowled at her. "Elizabeth, you don't need to ask permission to get a drink of water. You are a guest – not a prisoner. You are welcome to anything in our home."

_Including your brother?_

The thought flashed through her mind before she could stop it. She blushed, and tried to hide it by taking a big gulp of tea. She didn't realize just how strong it would be, however, and ended up choking a little.

She coughed and sputtered, her eyes watering quickly as she fought to catch her breath, but another cough seized her and she bent over the table, cupping a hand over her mouth as she hacked violently for several long minutes.

Suddenly a glass of water flashed into her view held by a jade green three fingered hand. Elizabeth accepted the red cup and sipped at the water carefully, still coughing slightly. But it helped, by the time she'd drained the cup she was able to breathe regularly without having the need to cough.

"Better?" Leonardo asked, he hadn't moved from her side. Elizabeth couldn't face him right now.

"I uh… yeah… thanks, Leo."

Leonardo picked up the tea cups and took them to the sink to rinse them. Elizabeth didn't care, she'd lost the desire to have any more tea right now anyway.

"Hey, Leo?"

"Yes?"

"I never really… I mean I never got the chance to thank you for… for Graham. If you and Mikey hadn't gotten there when you had."

"You don't need to thank us, Elizabeth," Leonardo said waving off her apology as he headed out of the kitchen, his eyes suddenly very hard behind his mask. "When I saw you were gone I knew that you'd gone to… "

Leonardo didn't finish his sentence instead he glared out at the dark lair for a minute, his shoulders tense and his breathing slow, controlled. Elizabeth stared at his shell, waiting, but Leonardo didn't say anything else. Instead he slipped out of the kitchen and disappeared. After a minute Elizabeth heard the unmistakable sound of the front door opening, then shutting and Leonardo was gone.

Elizabeth shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as she stared around the kitchen. She had a feeling she'd hit a touchy subject with the blue-banded turtle. Even though he and Michelangelo had gotten there in time to save both her and Donatello it didn't change the fact that Elizabeth had been the reason that they'd almost gotten killed in the first place.

Her stomach grumbled a little, breaking the silence that surrounded her. Elizabeth realized with a start that she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning – and she hadn't kept that down. She hesitated, not sure if she should really be poking around their kitchen for something to eat.

But, Elizabeth thought to herself, Leonardo had told her to help herself to anything.

Knowing that the others wouldn't be awake for at least an hour, and with the way Leonardo had gone off she had a feeling he wouldn't be back anytime soon Elizabeth got up and walked over to the fridge.

* * *

><p>"First dibs on the bathroom," Michelangelo called, jumping nimbly from the balcony to the main floor of the lair. He laughed to himself as he dashed past a rather tired Raphael, who had almost reached the bathroom, slamming the door in his brother's face.<p>

"Mikey!" Raphael's fist connected with the wood with a sharp thud.

Michelangelo laughed quietly to himself. Raphael always made it too easy. His brother was never bright eyed first thing in the morning and Michelangelo loved to rile him up before breakfast. He took his time in the bathroom, knowing that Raphael was just on the other side of the door fuming and uncomfortable.

When he finished he pulled open the door and grinned at his brother. "Got the bathroom all warmed up for ya, Raphie!"

Raphael pushed past him. "Chuckle head."

Michelangelo laughed again. Yep, too easy.

His stomach grumbled noisily. "Aww… are you hungry baby? Daddy will give you something."

He patted it gently as he made his way to the kitchen, but as he got closer he realized he could already smell Donatello's coffee. Had his brother been up all night again? Michelangelo's smile faltered a little. He was sure that Leonardo had made sure that Donatello had gotten to bed early after he'd spent practically the whole day running back and forth between his lab and the guest room to check on Elizabeth after her bout of sickness yesterday. Donatello hadn't argued, which was a testament to how tired his brother really was.

Michelangelo entered the kitchen and his grin returned full force.

Elizabeth had her back to him, her long brown hair had been pulled up off her neck and held in place with two pencils crisscrossing each other. She was wearing a sky blue spaghetti strap that clung to her skin tightly, which showed off her figure nicely. Her pajama bottoms were the same colored blue but were checkered with darker blue lines and white patches. They hung loosely on her hips, but not enough to actually show anything, but it gave her legs a more baggy appearance.

Elizabeth turned when she heard him enter the kitchen, and she smiled, although she looked a bit embarrassed. She had flour on her nose and one cheek, and a white smear sat right above her right eye.

"Morning, Mikey." Elizabeth said as she put a plate of French toast on the table next to a plate of fried eggs and hash browns.

"Awesome! You cooked!" Michelangelo was delighted.

Elizabeth laughed, a light tinkling sound that seemed to suit her soft voice perfectly. "I hoped you wouldn't mind… I just thought I'd say thank you for everything."

Michelangelo grabbed a couple pieces of toast. "No problem, dudette."

"Hold on a minute," Elizabeth said as Michelangelo reached for the plate of fried eggs and hash browns. "The vanilla sauce is almost done."

"Vanilla sauce?"

"You'll like it," Elizabeth promised as she stirred at something on the burner then turned her attention to what she'd been working on before he'd entered the kitchen.

"Is there coffee?" Donatello asked walking slowly into the kitchen still looking half asleep.

"There's a fresh pot over there for you, Donny," Elizabeth said with a slight nod in the direction of the coffee maker.

Michelangelo snickered as Donatello walked over to the coffee pot in a trance and poured himself a cup.

"Hey, chuckle head, ya didn't leave any hot water," Raphael grumbled as he entered the kitchen.

Michelangelo laughed so hard he almost spilled the milk. Raphael looked less than amused as he took a seat opposite his brother. Donatello hadn't moved from where he stood next to the coffee maker.

Elizabeth dipped a spoon into the mixture on the stove and tasted it, she smiled, rinsed off the spoon and removed the pot from the burner. Then she poured the mixture into a liquid measuring cup and grabbed a large bowl of freshly cut strawberries and blueberries. She brought both to the table and set them down in front of Michelangelo.

"What's dat?" Raphael asked, eyeing the vanilla sauce suspiciously.

"Its vanilla sauce, you put it on your French toast," Elizabeth explained. She took the seat next to Michelangelo, suddenly feeling very self conscious that she was still in her pajamas. One of her straps slipped off her shoulder and she quickly readjusted her top, color rushing up to her cheeks when she felt Raphael's eyes on her.

Raphael got up to get the orange juice, pausing next to Donatello who was blinking sleepily at the table as if debating on whether or not to join them.

"Come on, genius, ya gotta have more den coffee," Raphael said grabbing his brother's shoulder and steering him towards the table. Donatello sat down in the chair next to Raphael's hard, blinking in surprise as if he'd just noticed the food on the table for the first time.

"Man, Mikey, you must have gotten up really early to whip this up," Donatello said as Raphael handed him the plate of French toast.

Michelangelo, who had been pouring vanilla sauce over his French toast, chuckled. "Actually, Donny, Elizabeth cooked this morning."

Donatello's eyes widened as he stared across the table. "Oh, good morning, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth fought to hide her smile, but had little success. She had a feeling that Donatello hadn't even realized she was in the room until now. She accepted the plate from Donatello and helped herself to a piece. Michelangelo passed her the vanilla sauce and Elizabeth poured it over her piece of toast before putting a small handful of the strawberry and blueberry mixture on top. Donatello wasn't quite as generous as the vanilla sauce as Michelangelo had been, but when he tried to pass it to Raphael, Raphael's face twisted with disgust.

"I'm not puttin' dat stuff on dis," Raphael grunted as he reached for the plate of eggs and hash browns.

Elizabeth felt tears prick her eyes and embarrassed she dropped her eyes to her plate, forcing the tears back. It shouldn't bother her so much that Raphael didn't want to try the vanilla sauce. But she knew that Raphael's rejection of it had hurt a lot worse than if any of the others hadn't wanted to try it.

"Wow!" Michelangelo said after a few minutes of silence. "Man, Elizabeth, that sauce is awesome!"

Elizabeth forced herself to smile at him before turning back to her own plate where she was slowly smashing the strawberries and blueberries into a fine paste on her own piece of toast. She didn't feel very hungry anymore.

"Mikey, save some for Master Splinter and Leo," Donatello scolded as Michelangelo reached for the plate of French toast again.

"Leo won't mind," Michelangelo said joyfully as he put two more pieces of toast onto his plate and poured the vanilla sauce on top of them.

Donatello frowned at his brother but didn't say anything. He was feeling much more awake now that he was on his second cup of coffee. Michelangelo seemed oblivious to his brother's disapproval as he began to shovel large bites of toast and berries into his mouth.

"Tanks, 'Lizbeth," Raphael suddenly said standing up and taking his plate over to the sink. He set it in the basin and then turned and left without looking at her.

Donatello didn't miss the way Elizabeth's eyes followed him as Raphael disappeared into the dojo.

"I think you should eat something, Elizabeth," Donatello said quietly drawing her attention back to him.

Elizabeth's eyes looked rather red as if she had been up half the night and the dark purple bags underneath them gave her face a rather sunken appearance.

"I'm not very hungry," Elizabeth mumbled to her plate.

Donatello frowned at her and Michelangelo paused mid bite to stare at her in surprise.

"Elizabeth," Donatello said gently, seeing from the tense position of Elizabeth's shoulders that she could easily get defensive if he didn't tread carefully. "You haven't eaten anything for almost 36 hours. I think you should… "

"I'm not hungry!" Elizabeth's tone was suddenly sharp. Her eyes snapped up to meet his, a few tears slipped down her cheeks but she wiped them away quickly and stood up to dump her plate in the sink.

"Hey, Elizabeth," Michelangelo said quickly before Donatello could say anything.

Elizabeth paused and looked at the orange-banded turtle warily.

"I can't find that movie we were watching the other day… I was wondering if you'd help me find it?" Michelangelo gave her a bright smile.

Elizabeth's shoulders sagged a little but she nodded. "Sure, Mikey."

"Great, I'll be there in a minute," Michelangelo picked up the last piece of his toast with his fingers, swirled it around in a puddle of vanilla sauce and popped it into his mouth, licking the remaining sauce off his fingers as Elizabeth walked off towards the entertainment center.

"Mikey, Van Helsing is in its case," Donatello said as he stood up to rinse his plate.

"I know that," Michelangelo said as he ate his last bite of egg and hash brown.

"So why'd… ?" Donatello's face suddenly lit up with understanding. "You saw that too huh?"

"Kind of hard to miss, Donny," Michelangelo said with a shrug.

Donatello sighed as he went over to the coffee pot to refill his mug again. "Just make sure she gets something to eat, Mikey."

"Sure, Donny," Michelangelo's face suddenly fell a little as he stared out towards the main area of the lair.

"I'm going to go check on Sensei," Donatello said then left the kitchen quietly.

Michelangelo sighed and began to clean up the remains of breakfast, making sure to fix up a plate for both Leonardo and Splinter before he started in on the dishes.

It was only fifteen short minutes later when Michelangelo left the kitchen, and strolled casually over to the entertainment center where Elizabeth was sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the silent TVs. From across the lair Michelangelo could hear Raphael's fists hitting his punching bag with a tremendous amount of force.

He sat down next to Elizabeth. "So did ya find it, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth waved the DVD case at him. "It was in its case… the same place you left it after we watched it the other day."

Michelangelo grinned a bit sheepishly. "Great. Well now that you're over here ya wanna watch TV?" He snatched up the remote and turned on the entertainment system before Elizabeth could answer. Then to Elizabeth's immense surprise he handed her the remote. "You pick."

Elizabeth wasn't remotely interested in watching anything but she flipped idly through the channels.

Michelangelo wasn't paying much attention either. He'd seen Splinter's door open and Donatello and Splinter were making their way towards the kitchen, talking in soft voices.

"How about this?" Elizabeth asked bring Michelangelo's attention back to the TV.

Elizabeth had stopped on an old episode of I Love Lucy. Michelangelo grinned. "Anything you want to watch, dudette."

Michelangelo and Elizabeth sat quietly next to each other on the couch. Michelangelo wasn't really paying that much attention to what was happening, he really wanted to go back to the kitchen to see what Donatello was talking to Splinter about. And more importantly what Splinter was saying.

Elizabeth didn't seem to be paying much attention to the TV either. She was sitting with her legs pulled up against her chest, her chin resting on her knees, her eyes on the floor. She didn't even seem to notice that the strap of her spaghetti strap had slipped off her shoulder again.

Michelangelo barely noticed when the episode ended and a new one started. "You want a snack, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth shook her head, not bothering to look up.

"Don't let Raph get you down, Elizabeth," Michelangelo said softly, drawing Elizabeth's eyes to him briefly. "He isn't always the easiest to please. He's always been a bit fussy with new things... I think he's had Leo's cooking one too many times. Now he's always careful about what he puts in his mouth." Michelangelo laughed but Elizabeth didn't join him.

Instead Elizabeth just shrugged her shoulders but didn't look at him again. She picked up the remote again and began to flip quickly through the channels, although she didn't even bother to look at the TV this time.

Something soft and furry rubbed up against Michelangelo's legs. He looked down and grinned as Klunk looked up at meowed at him hungrily.

"I'll be right back, Elizabeth," Michelangelo said. Elizabeth gave a slight nod but continued to flip through the channels without pausing long enough to see what was playing.

Michelangelo scooped up the orange alley cat and jogged off into the kitchen.

Splinter and Donatello were sitting at the kitchen, Donatello nursing another cup of coffee while Splinter sipped at a cup of tea with a plate that had a single piece of French toast minus the vanilla sauce but he did have a good portion of berries as well. Both Donatello and Splinter looked up when Michelangelo entered the kitchen.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Otousan."

"Ohayo, Musuko," Splinter said nodding his head in Michelangelo's direction.

Michelangelo dropped Klunk on the counter and opened up a cupboard to pull out his bag of cat food. He scooped half a cup out with a measuring cup and put it into Klunk's dish. Klunk hurried over it, sniffed it with keen interest, then when discovering it wasn't anything new he flicked his tail and stalked out of the room.

Splinter had turned back to Donatello. "Are you sure, my son?"

"Hai, Master Splinter," Donatello said seriously.

Splinter rose slowly from his chair. "Perhaps this is something that should be meditated on before further action is decided. Has Leonardo returned from his training run?"

Michelangelo shook his head. "Not yet, Sensei."

"Tell him to come see me when he comes in," Splinter said, he eyed his plate for a moment then shook his head and walked slowly out of the room.

Donatello's eyes narrowed as he stared at the plate of barely touched food.

"What is it, Donny?"

"He's worried, Mikey," Donatello got up and dumped the last of his semi-warm coffee into the sink. "And he has good reason to be."

"But if she's… "

"Think about it, Mikey," Donatello said as he rinsed out his cup and set it aside. "Do you think that it could end well?"

Michelangelo was silent as he thought about what his brother said.

"When you see Leo be sure to tell him to go talk to Splinter," Donatello said then left Michelangelo alone as he headed for his lab so he could start on the ever growing list of items that needed to be repaired.

Michelangelo slowly gathered up Splinter's left over dishes and decided to just save it for later. He wrapped it up and put it back in the refrigerator before walking to the doorway of the kitchen and staring hard across the room at the back of Elizabeth's head. If Donatello was right, which he usually turned out to be, he had a point. This situation could only have negative consequences as the outcome. Any way he looked at it he couldn't find a solution to this where someone wouldn't end up getting hurt. He just hoped that they could avoid that at all costs.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Continued: Just in case you're wondering the vanilla sauce is something my sister gave me and I like that much better on my French toast than syrup. I'm not big on fruit but I love it with the French toast it is awesome. :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey everyone sorry for the long delay for this next chapter. I didn't mean to take so long with this next chapter but things have been really crazy in RL for me lately. Fortunately it has been with happy things instead of horrible things for a change so that has been very nice. Between getting and starting a new job that I love but completely and utterly exhausts me, my sister having her baby, and trying to finish a couple cross stitches one for my sister and her baby and one for my parents now that they are new grandparents I've had my hands tied. On top of that this chapter really gave me trouble in getting it finished I just wasn't sure how I wanted it to progress. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait. **

**Thank you for those who took the time to review I really appreciate it guys and I'll try not to take so long with the next chapter. But it probably won't be for a couple weeks. I might get some writing in tomorrow but I work for 10 hours on Saturday and I work all day Monday and Tuesday. If I have time I'll get more writing done Sunday but my writing will probably be limited until next Wednesday. Hopefully it won't take me so long next time. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

Graham Cooper glared at his reflection, running his fingers down the tender flesh around the long thin cut on his face just below his left eye. His usually well slicked hair was uncombed and his tie was loose around his neck. His secretary hadn't dared to ask about his appearance, he had a feeling she was ready to turn in her resignation any day, despite the large salary he was paying her. Every time he called her name she'd flinch as if an electric shock had run through her body. Graham didn't care… secretaries were a dime a dozen there would be another one out there who would want this job.

"Mrs. Bell!" Graham snapped into the intercom as he set down his hand mirror. He saw her jump through the glass window adjoining his door.

"Yes, Mr. Cooper?" Jamie Bell asked in a small timid voice.

"Come into my office!"

"Right away, Mr. Cooper," Jamie said at once.

It took Jamie a couple minutes but while Graham waited impatiently the door slowly opened and a short very timid looking woman stepped in. She was a big improvement on Graham's last secretary, who had been short and fat with raven colored hair that had been coiled in tight curls. Jamie was much younger, and more attractive. She was tall – and had been slim but now her baby bump was beginning to show, her stomach made her pale pink dress bulge slightly and her enlarged breasts filled out the dress nicely. Her red hair was tied up in an elegant twist on her neck, and her pale blue eyes were very wide as she stared at him. Graham leered at her and Jamie's face went white. But still he had to give her credit as she made her way across his office and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of his desk.

"I want you to cancel my afternoon meeting and hold all my calls," Graham barked, and Jamie hurried to scribble his orders down on a pad of paper she'd brought in with her. "Then I want you to get a hold of this man." Graham slid a piece of paper with a name and a number scribbled on it. "Tell him it is of the utmost importance that I speak with him and that his time will be well compensated for."

Jamie picked up the piece of paper with trembling fingers. "Yes, Mr. Cooper. Will there be anything else, sir?"

"As a matter of fact there is," Graham said pulling out a piece of paper from the top drawer a long with another list of numbers. "I need you to fax this to these numbers for me."

Jamie picked up the piece of paper, recognize Graham's wife from the picture sitting on his desk. Below it her picture in bold letters were the words.

**Elizabeth Cooper – Missing**

**$50,000 reward for her safe return. **

Jamie slipped the flyer and list of numbers underneath her pad and cleared her throat. "Will that be all, Mr. Cooper?"

"That's all, Mrs. Bell," Graham said waving her away as if she were a fly.

Jamie stood up and hurried out of the office, much faster than she had entered it. Graham leaned back in his chair, tenting his fingers together and smiling at the ceiling.

"Soon, my dear sweet wife, there will be nowhere in the city for you to hide. I will get you back… and when I do I will see you breathe your last and your little green friends are next." He fingered the cut on his face again and his face darkened. "They caught me off guard last time, and I can't wait to return the favor."

* * *

><p>"Have you finished rolling out the dough yet, Mikey?" Elizabeth asked from where she stood at the stove stirring the contents in a small pot.<p>

Michelangelo, who was standing on the other side of the kitchen, looked up from the rolled out pizza dough on the cookie sheet. "Sure have, Elizabeth. And you have to give me the recipe for this pizza!"

Elizabeth laughed as she dipped a spoon into the mixture. She lifted the spoon to her mouth, tasted it and seemed to be satisfied with it because she then turned off the burner and removed the pot from the stove.

"Sure, Mikey – that's not a problem. Grab the chicken will you?"

Michelangelo quickly crossed the kitchen and grabbed the pan with the grilled chicken in it. Elizabeth stirred the thick concoction in the pot she was holding thoroughly before she poured the contents onto the uncooked pizza crust. A thick creamy white sauce quickly covered the entire crust, only stopped by the upturned edges.

"Put the chicken on top, Mikey, and even it out with this," Elizabeth handed him a rubber spatula. Michelangelo did as she told him and when he finished Elizabeth sprinkled mozzarella cheese on top and stuck the whole thing into the hot oven.

"Anything else you need help with, dudette?" Michelangelo asked enthusiastically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile a little at the Michelangelo's enthusiasm. She had no idea where Michelangelo got all his energy but she'd quickly realized that the others tended to ignore their brother when he was so full of energy. Donatello would always find something in his lab to occupy him and when Michelangelo ignored Donatello's hints about leaving him alone eventually he'd firmly, though kindly, boot him out. Leonardo seemed the hardest for Michelangelo to get to, Leonardo seemed to have endless patience when it came to his brothers. Though Elizabeth had seen a bit of weariness cross the blue-banded turtles face when even he'd had too much of his brother's constant badgering. Often times when that happened he'd wander off to his room to meditate. Elizabeth figured that was the easiest way for Leonardo to keep control of his temper and not lose his patience with his brother. Raphael on the other hand seemed to be the complete opposite of his brothers. If Michelangelo was lucky Raphael would simply ignore him and go off to the dojo to get in more practice. If he wasn't… well Raphael would help his brother burn off some of that energy by chasing him around the lair.

Elizabeth had learned that it was best to just stay out of the brothers' way when they got like that. Though she couldn't help but be amused by Michelangelo's antics, and the lengths he'd go to to get his brothers to pay attention to him. Whenever that failed Michelangelo would seek her out wherever she was and would entertain her for hours with his adventure stories. Which always starred the Turtle Titan. And even though all of Michelangelo's story had a common theme, Elizabeth loved hearing about the adventures he'd spin for her.

"Hey, head case! Da city ain't been da same without ya!" Raphael's voice boomed enthusiastically from the other room.

"April! Casey!" Michelangelo bounded out of the room without a second thought for dinner.

Elizabeth hesitated, not sure if she should intrude on this reunion. Or if she wanted to.

The truth was she was terrified about meeting April and Casey. She'd heard the brothers talking enthusiastically about their friends' return, but Elizabeth's stomach muscles had always cramped uncomfortably when she thought about meeting these two people. She knew that anyone who cared about the turtles as much as she did would be very protective of them. She knew she would do anything to keep their secret safe – and to do anything in her power that she could to keep them safe. She knew if April and Casey felt the same way that they might not be very enthusiastic to meet her. Not that she'd blame them – she had almost gotten Donatello killed.

Michelangelo had reassured her that April and Casey would be very happy to meet her, but Elizabeth hadn't really believed him. She'd nodded slightly then had usually wandered off to be alone in her bedroom or pretended she'd had to use the bathroom.

But to do either now she'd have to go through the main area of the lair – which was where Casey and April were. So instead Elizabeth pulled a head of lettuce, a couple cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots from the refrigerator and opted to start on the salad instead. After she rinsed the head of lettuce under faucet she began to tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large ceramic bowl.

"Need some help?"

Elizabeth jumped and turned around wildly, crouching down to make herself as small a target as possible.

The red head in the doorway looked a bit startled by Elizabeth's reaction, her wide green eyes filled with concern and her ruby red lips were tight against her teeth. A few strands of her hair had fallen out of her bun and hung in wisps around her face, though she didn't seem to notice them. She was wearing a ruby red shirt that was cut just over her midriff exposing her pale skin and tiny waist. Her jeans clung tightly to her hips and shaped out her legs nicely. Elizabeth thought she was very attractive.

"You're Elizabeth right?" The red head asked, stepping further into the kitchen.

Elizabeth nodded and smiled weakly.

"I'm April," April said smiling in return, revealing very nice white teeth. She brushed aside a few locks of hair and tucked them behind her ear.

"Uh – yeah, I know, Mikey told me all about you and Casey," Elizabeth said quickly feeling heat rise in her cheeks.

April didn't seem surprised, instead her smile warmed up a lot more as she took in Elizabeth's appearance. Elizabeth wished she'd changed out of her green checkered pajama bottoms and tight dark green t-shirt. She also wished she hadn't just pulled her hair up into a loose bun held in place by two pencils on her neck. She could feel the ends of her hair tickling her neck, and was very conscious of the smudge of flour on her cheek. But April didn't seem to notice those things. Her eyes, so similar in color to Elizabeth's eyes, had been studying her thoughtfully for a long minute before some of the tension in her shoulders seemed to fade away. She gestured to the remaining ingredients that needed to be sliced into the salad.

"So you want some help?"

"That'd be great, thanks," Elizabeth turned back to finish tearing apart the lettuce leaves.

April pulled out a cutting board and began to chop up the tomatoes and when she finished she started in on the cucumbers.

"Hey, April?" Elizabeth asked after several long minutes of silence between them.

April paused and looked up from the cucumber she had been slicing.

Elizabeth didn't look at her, she was biting her lip and concentrating very hard on the carrot she had in her hand.

"What is it, Elizabeth?"

"I uh, I was just wondering if you knew what happened to Leo's shell? I saw that there was a piece that looked… well what could cause something like that?"

April frowned a little. "Haven't you asked the guys?"

Elizabeth blushed. "Well, Leo is always so guarded and Mikey seems to get upset whenever I mention it. All Donny told me was that it was a long story and Raph… well he doesn't seem to be around much."

April set down her cucumber and the knife she'd been using to slice it. "Don't take it personally, Elizabeth. Raphael likes to go topside to burn off energy, he patrols the streets at night – usually he goes out with Casey but he'll go out alone too, he finds it helps him to keep control of his temper with his brothers if he burns off some excess energy patrolling the streets."

Elizabeth nodded. "Like the night he found me," she muttered.

April's expression softened a little. "I'm just glad that Raph was there for you, Elizabeth. Donny told me what happened that night."

"And did he tell you I almost got him killed?" Elizabeth asked in a soft whisper.

April didn't reply for a few seconds and then Elizabeth found herself swept up into the red head's arms. Startled her first reaction was to pull away, and April let her go, but she kept her grip on Elizabeth's arms, forcing her to face her.

"Elizabeth, it wasn't your fault."

"Graham would have never gone after them if it wasn't for me. He knew that they had me – somehow he knew. If he had killed Donny… "

"The others never would have let that happen, Elizabeth. They look out for each other. They've gotten into tight spots before and they always come through for each other."

"But if they hadn't… they could have been… "

"Elizabeth, they followed you to Cooper Enterprises. They weren't going to let anything happen to Donny – and if Leo had known what you were going to do he would have done whatever he could have to protect you."

Elizabeth wasn't convinced. "I heard him that night, April. He was going to hand me over to save his brother. He was willing to do whatever it took to get his brother back."

"That doesn't mean that Leo wanted Graham to kill you. I know that Leo can seem a bit calloused but he's just very protective of his brothers. Leo's been through a lot, they all have, but Leo bears the most scars from their battles because he's always throwing himself between his brothers and whatever is trying to hurt them. He doesn't have anything against you, Elizabeth. He just worries about his brothers' safety. When Graham took Donny Leo was scared that they wouldn't get there in time… but when he came out and saw you were gone he realized where you'd gone and he knew then that you were willing to turn yourself in to protect his family and it changed the way he saw you. You weren't a liability anymore but an ally. And with that you won his protection and respect, he'd do anything now to make sure you are safe."

"But he still seems guarded," Elizabeth said confused. If all April said was true why did Leo still seem distant with her? It was true that he wasn't as cold to her and his eyes were much softer when he looked at her but he never went out of his way to talk to her.

April sighed. "Elizabeth, you asked if I knew what happened to Leo's shell. Why that piece was missing."

Elizabeth nodded.

"Elizabeth, the turtles had an enemy named Oroku Saki or the Shredder- he was an alien creature called an Utrom who had killed Master Splinter's Master Yoshi. The turtles had been fighting him for years, in many battles, some of them they won and others they didn't… " April's eyes hardened for a moment as if she was remembering something very unpleasant. Elizabeth waited, not wanting to interrupt now that she was finally getting some answers.

"The night Shredder tried to return to the stars so he could return to the Utrom home world and destroy the Utrom race the guys tried to stop him. All of them were very badly injured… Casey and I weren't there but Donny told me later that Shredder's daughter Karai, who had once called herself Leo's friend, had stabbed him with his own katana."

Elizabeth gasped, shocked.

"Leo wasn't the same turtle when they came home. He was very distant, even from his brothers. He was always so angry – it wasn't like him. His brothers didn't understand his sudden personality change – he was acting more like an angry Raphael than himself. He was cold and distant for months, training even more than he normally did, pushing himself to the breaking point. And then one day there was an accident in the lair and Splinter knew that Leo was beyond his help. He sent him to Japan to get some help from his Master Yoshi's sensei – and when Leo returned a couple months later he was his old self again. The hardness had left his eyes and he was more relaxed. I don't know exactly what it was that made Leo come back to us, he's never talked about it. But whatever it was it worked."

Elizabeth was very quiet after April finished her story, she could feel her hands trembling but could do nothing to hide the horror she felt from the story. To imagine such a thing – to even try to picture Leonardo's own katana being forced through his flesh by someone he had once called a friend… how could she possibly have done that to him? The betrayal Leonardo must have felt in that moment – Elizabeth wasn't surprised that he would be so angry. Still she felt like April was holding something back from her, but she wasn't going to press her for more. April seemed hesitant to tell her whatever else it was and considering the fact that April had told her more than Donatello had she wasn't going to force her to tell her more.

"Elizabeth, you ok?" April asked moving a hand to Elizabeth's shoulder and squeezing gently.

Elizabeth swallowed hard and nodded. "We'd better get the salad done. The pizza will be ready in five minutes."

"Mikey seems pretty excited about this pizza you're making," April said trying to lighten up the tone in the kitchen.

It worked. Elizabeth smiled.

"A friend gave me the idea but she uses the alfredo sauce in the jar and I use homemade sauce."

"You can make your own alfredo sauce?" April asked, she sounded surprised.

"It's actually quite easy," Elizabeth said with a laugh.

April smiled when she heard Elizabeth's light tinkling laugh. It was such a pleasant sound. "Well it smells great."

Elizabeth's smile widened as she chopped up the carrot she'd been holding earlier. "It tastes even better than it smells," she promised.

"Well, in that case, I hope you made a lot," April said seriously as she sliced the last of the cucumber and placed it on top of the torn lettuce leaves and diced tomatoes.

"Why's that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Because Mikey will eat all of it if that's true."

Elizabeth and April stared at each other for several seconds then started to laugh.

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><p>The kitchen was really too small to accommodate four giant turtles, three humans, and a rat. So while April had been busy with Elizabeth in the kitchen the turtles and Casey had set up a long table with chairs in the main area of the lair. Elizabeth had gone to call everyone in for dinner a few minutes after some joyous laughter had broken out in the kitchen, and her eyes had popped in surprise when she saw the table set up and with the dishes in place. The turtles had grinned at her and the tall dark-haired man with baby blue eyes that had stood close to Raphael had nudged the red-banded turtle with his elbow. Much to Elizabeth's amusement Raphael had elbowed him back hard enough to make the man flinch and rub at his sore ribs.<p>

Elizabeth returned to the kitchen to get the pizza while April carried out the large bowl of salad before she sat down next to Casey. Splinter sat at the head of the table, with Leonardo on one side and Raphael on the other. Casey sat next to Raphael with April beside him and Donatello sat on the other side. Elizabeth figured that her seat was the one between Leonardo and Michelangelo because that was the only seat left. She set the hot cookie sheet on the table and sat down between the two turtles.

"Mmm… " Michelangelo said taking an appreciative sniff.

"Pull yer tongue in, Mikey, before ya drool all over da table," Raphael said with a roll of his eyes.

"It looks great, Elizabeth," Donatello said as he helped himself to the salad.

Michelangelo had taken charge of the pizza and was cutting large slices for everyone. Elizabeth was having a hard time not laughing at the way his eyes eagerly followed each piece and his tongue kept poking out of his mouth.

When everyone had a slice of pizza and the salad had been passed around the table everyone began to eat.

"Wow!" Casey said as he took a bite of pizza. "What's da sauce ya put on dis, 'Lizbeth?"

"Uh, homemade alfredo sauce," Elizabeth said as she poked a cucumber onto the prongs of her fork. Her own pizza was still untouched but she had had a few bites of salad.

Michelangelo, who had inhaled his own first slice helped himself to another.

"So what movie did ya pick dis time, bone head?" Raphael asked as he bit into his own slice of pizza.

Casey smirked but didn't answer. Elizabeth wasn't sure if that was because Casey wanted to keep the movie a surprise or because his mouth was so full of pizza.

Michelangelo reached for another piece of pizza. Elizabeth looked at his plate surprised, he had just reached for a new slice a minute ago, but his plate was empty. It was if the pizza had never existed.

Elizabeth took a small bite of her own pizza, chewing it slowly. Her stomach churned angrily and lurched in protest as the pizza joined the small portion of salad she'd already eaten. Elizabeth paused, not sure how much more she'd be able to eat, but from the expression on Donatello's face on the other side of the table she knew he wouldn't be satisfied with what she'd eaten, reluctantly she took another bite of pizza.

No one else seemed to be paying much attention to her. Leonardo and Splinter were talking in hushed tones, muttering in a language that Elizabeth couldn't understand. If she were to guess she'd have thought it was Japanese. Michelangelo was concentrating on his pizza and Casey and Raphael seemed to be engaged in a fierce but silent battle of wills on the other side of the table. Elizabeth wasn't sure what brought that on but she had a feeling that it was nothing new for those two.

"Hey, Donny, would you mind coming by later? I need your help with something," April asked drawing Donatello's attention away from Elizabeth.

Donatello nodded." Sure, April."

Elizabeth took another bite of pizza and suddenly her stomach lurched violently. Elizabeth swallowed hard, but her mouth was watering quickly. She ground her jaw, tossed her napkin onto the table and bolted towards the bathroom. She heard someone yelling after her but she couldn't make out who it was through the ringing in her ears.

She just barely made it. She heaved over the toilet, feeling hot tears prick the corners of her eyes before they ran down her cheeks and joined the contents in the toilet bowl. She coughed and spat into the toilet, her back heaving heavily with suppressed sobs while her stomach lurched again, though she had nothing else to get rid of.

She sat by the toilet for several long seconds, and only lifted her head when someone knocked quietly on the door. She got shakily to her feet and flushed the toilet, before lowering the lid and sitting down on the closed lid, too worn out to even try and move.

"Elizabeth, its April can I come in?"

"Y… yes," Elizabeth croaked.

The door opened and April entered, closing the door behind her. She stared anxiously at Elizabeth for a few seconds before crossing the small room and crouching down in front of her. "Are you ok?"

More tears sprang to Elizabeth's eyes and she shook her head.

April bit her lip while the tears ran down Elizabeth's cheeks and off her chin where they disappeared into her pajama bottoms. A few strands of hair had come loose from Elizabeth's make-shift bun and hung around her face in long wisps, almost like spider web strands.

"Elizabeth," April said quietly, keeping her voice low – although Elizabeth had no trouble hearing her she knew that there was no way her voice would carry to the next room even if Donatello was hovering outside the bathroom door. "Donny said you've been sick a lot lately – that you can't keep anything down."

Elizabeth sniffed and wiped uselessly at her eyes. She stared into April's concerned eyes and felt more tears prick her eyes.

"Elizabeth, we need to know if we should take you to the hospital. If something is making you this sick than it is more than Donny can handle. Casey and I can take you – we'll stay with you. We'll be in touch with the turtles. Graham won't be able to get his hands on you."

"No," Elizabeth said her voice tight with her distress. "No hospital."

"Elizabeth, you are going to get really sick if you can't keep anything down." April insisted.

"I… I need something from home. I know what… I know what's wrong." Elizabeth began to sob again and leaned forward to bury her face in her hands.

April didn't speak for a few minutes, letting Elizabeth sob herself into quiet once again, but when Elizabeth looked up she saw the expression on April's face and knew from the stunned and worried expression that April already knew.

"You're sure?" April asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "I went the day Raph saved me from those men in the park."

April's expression was very stressed. "Elizabeth, you need to tell them."

"But they'll – won't they make me go home?"

"Elizabeth, they aren't going to make you do anything. But you are going to get really sick if you don't get help and soon. This isn't something Donny can help you with. You need a doctor."

"If I just got my pills from home I'd be better,"

"Casey and I can get them. Or one of the guys could."

"No!" Elizabeth insisted grabbing April's wrist. "I don't want them going back there. I don't want Graham to get his hands on them again."

"The guys can handle themselves, Elizabeth," April said but her voice was resigned. "But Casey or I could get them. Where are they?"

"In the medicine cabinet above the sink in the bathroom."

"Elizabeth, did you… "

Elizabeth shook her head anticipating April's question. April nodded, seeming satisfied with her answer. "You need to tell them, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth began to cry again, this time more violently than before.

"Do you want to go lie down, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth nodded through her tears. April gently helped her up and helped her across the room. A concerned Donatello was standing just outside the bathroom. April merely shook her head at him stopping his questions before he could ask them. Donatello didn't look happy but he allowed April to walk Elizabeth towards her bedroom, though he followed them at a distance. Elizabeth and April disappeared inside the bedroom and after a few minutes April reappeared alone, closing the door quietly behind her.

"April," Donatello said torn between concern and irritation. "She needs to eat something – she's barely touched anything since she's gotten here."

"I know that, Don. But right now it won't help her. She won't be able to keep anything down."

"Then we should get her on an IV – if she doesn't… "

"Don, she needs something from home. She gave me her key," April held up a small key ring with two keys on it. "I'll pick it up and bring it back to her. She should be able to keep food down when she's taking it."

"Isn't there something here that I can give her for that?" Donatello asked clearly annoyed now.

April shook her head. "No, Don, it has to be what she has at home."

"April, you can't go there – you don't know what Graham is… "

"Don!" April interrupted before Donatello could lecture her. "I don't have a choice. The stuff you have here won't help her! Elizabeth isn't sick! She's pregnant."

* * *

><p><strong>AN Continued: I'm sure that wasn't something you guys had expected, but I had planned this from the beginning. It might not seem fair that Elizabeth kept this from the guys but she had her reasons on why she wasn't telling them. Which will be revealed later I promise. So no hate mail please. :D See you guys again soon.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey everyone sorry for the long delay for this chapter. I've had a lot going on with my personal life right now and I've been an emotional wreck a lot of days and not in any condition to write. And unfortunately it'll probably be like that for a while for me. I know a couple of you know why but for those who don't I'm getting out of an emotionally and sexually abusive marriage and even though it is the best thing for me it is still hard especially after finding out some of the things I did find out after I left. And after this next week I am going to be working full time, which will seriously cut into my writing time because as much as I love my new job it is physically exhausting and I often come home absolutely tanked and can't keep my eyes open. **

**But anyway, in this next chapter you get an insight to how most of the turtles feel about Elizabeth's news. I promise that I'll update again as soon as I have time and whenever I feel up to writing emotionally. Right now it comes in random spurts for me but I promise I won't abandon the story. If I start something I will finish it! Enjoy the chapter.**

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><p><strong>Emshadow1- I am glad you enjoyed the last chapter and I am glad you are excited to see where it goes from here. Hope that this next chapter was worth the wait for you and thanks for the review.<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

Leonardo rolled over on his mattress, glaring up at the dark ceiling above him. He was tired, but he knew he wasn't going to be able to sleep, he didn't even know why he'd come in here. It seemed pointless to try to sleep when he had so much on his mind.

He had had no idea what Elizabeth had been hiding from all of them, none of them did. Leonardo had summed her sickness up to stress or a stomach bug, but he had never thought she was pregnant.

And of course the way that he and his brothers had found out about it had been quite a shock on its own. Raphael had been arguing with Casey about some parts for their motorcycles, something Leonardo couldn't begin to find interesting. He'd been concerned with Splinter's lack of appetite, but Splinter dutifully ate the pizza that had been cut for him. Leonardo knew that Splinter wasn't particularly fond of pizza. He tolerated it for them, but he preferred other things when he could get them. Of course over the years he had started to slow down. He wasn't quite as quick as he used to be, his body had thinned out quite a bit giving him an even more skeletal appearance because he had never been this thin. He didn't practice as often as he used to and the last time the battle nexus championship had been held he had chosen not to participate. So to see Splinter eat a whole slice of the pizza satisfied Leonardo, but he was distracted from Splinter eating his last bite when he heard Donatello yell from the hallway.

All conversation at the table had stopped and all their eyes had moved in unison in the direction of Elizabeth's room. Donatello had appeared seconds later, his face uncharacteristically angry, he didn't return to the table but instead disappeared into his lab closing the door behind him. April appeared moments later, looking rather agitated, her normally smooth hair looked rather ruffled.

She'd looked at them in a rather resigned way and had told them exactly what it was that had gotten Donatello so worked up. Leonardo wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to think at first, however, Raphael had been much faster to react. He'd been out of his chair and out the door before Leonardo could even blink, let alone say anything. Leonardo had let him go, there was no point in stopping Raphael when he was this upset – the only thing he'd get for his trouble was a few new bruises if Raphael was generous and Leonardo knew that Raphael wouldn't hold back.

April and Casey had left soon after that after promising them that they wouldn't go to Elizabeth's penthouse without at least Leonardo or one of his brothers to back them up. Dinner had broken up with all the brothers silently drifting off, none of them seemed too interested in eating anymore. Michelangelo had gone up to his room with a new comic book and Donatello hadn't come out of his lab until well after midnight. Leonardo had waited for Raphael to return but by the time three o'clock had rolled around he had given up and headed up to his room so he could try and get a few hours of sleep but after tossing and turning for the last three hours he had resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

With a resigned sigh Leonardo rolled off his bed, pulled up his sheets and blankets until his bed was neat and smooth, the pillow sitting upright against the makeshift headboard Donatello had managed to put together. Picking up his sheathed katanas from where they sat in the corner and slid them over his shell, where they settled quite comfortably into their usual position. Quietly he made his way out of his room and down the stairs to the dojo, he knew that his morning training would help ease some of his tension. He just couldn't help feeling as if Elizabeth's secret complicated everything.

Elizabeth obviously couldn't stay down here forever if she was pregnant. And what if Graham knew that she was pregnant? Was that why he was so determined to find her? What if she had complications with her pregnancy, things that Donatello was unable to help her with? They had no right trying to bring a baby into the world down here in the sewer. Elizabeth belonged in a hospital where there would be doctors to help her should complications arise, not to mention it was much more sterile.

Leonardo frowned to himself as he pushed open the dojo door, and paused when he realized he wasn't alone in the dojo. A silent figure was sitting in the middle of the room, a box of tissues on the floor beside them, only silhouetted by a single candle that was flickering dimly in the otherwise dark room.

"Elizabeth?" Leonardo asked completely surprised by her presence in the dojo.

Elizabeth jerked, obviously startled by Leonardo's arrival. Leonardo was sure she hadn't heard him coming, he had been drilled for as long as he could to walk quietly and blend in with the shadows that he just did it automatically now, even in his own home.

Leonardo flicked on the overhead light, illuminating the room and diming the power of the candle even further. Elizabeth sniffed and dabbed at her red swollen eyes. She looked exhausted and from the bags under her eyes Leonardo guessed that she hadn't slept very much herself. A small pile of soiled tissues sat next to the box of tissues. Leonardo's expression softened at Elizabeth's devastated expression.

"Morning, Leo," Elizabeth's voice was so soft Leonardo almost didn't catch it.

"Were you up all night, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth sniffed and wiped at her nose again but didn't bother to answer. She didn't have to.

Leonardo made his way across the room to where Elizabeth was sitting and sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry, Leo. I shou… should've told you guys the… the truth." Elizabeth whimpered as more tears splashed down her cheeks.

"Why didn't you?" Leonardo found that the anger he'd felt from the surprise of this discovery had evaporated. And although this tone was soft and there was no heat behind his words Elizabeth still flinched and pulled another tissue from the box beside her.

"I… I was afraid you'd… you'd make me leave. You were already so… so stressed about Gra… Graham and after Donny. I didn't want to cause anymore… trouble."

"Elizabeth," Leonardo felt something jerk in his gut in reaction to her words. He wasn't exactly sure what he could say to smooth this over. He knew that Elizabeth had a point, he had told his brothers that he would be willing to hand her over to Graham to save his brother. Elizabeth had not only risked her life but the baby's as well when she had gone after Donatello.

"How long have you known?" Leonardo finally asked, he was resigned again. He couldn't make her leave, he wouldn't make her leave. Elizabeth was free to go any time she wanted to but as long as she wanted to stay she had a home with them.

"I had just found out the day Raph saved me from those men in the park," Elizabeth admitted. "It was why I'd gone in the first place. Graham doesn't like me going to the park – he thinks it is a waste of time. But I like the park, I always thought it was a nice place to think when I needed to get away from Graham for a little while. I had been feeling sick for a couple weeks and when the doctor told me I was… well I was scared. I don't want to have this baby, Leo. I don't know what to do."

Leonardo frowned slightly. "You didn't try to do something to get rid of it did you?"

"Abortion?" Elizabeth's nose wrinkled and her face screwed up as if the word left a sour taste on her tongue. "It's not the baby's fault it's here. I'm not going to kill it. But I don't want Graham to know either. I'll just give the baby up after it's born."

"I promise, Elizabeth, we'll help you anyway we can." Leonardo promised, his eyes softening when Elizabeth's green eyes met his gaze steadily for a moment.

"I won't be able to stay here will I?" Elizabeth whispered, her green eyes shining with bright tears again.

Leonardo shook his head. "We aren't going to kick you out, Elizabeth. But we aren't going to force you to stay against your will either. You are the only one who can decide what's best for you and your baby."

Elizabeth dropped her gaze, sniffing as she began to tear the Kleenex in her hands to little squares.

"Elizabeth," Leonardo said softly, reaching forward and cupping her chin forcing her to look at him again. "You will always have a home here. And you don't have to decide anything right away."

"I don't want to be a burden… I don't want to trouble your family… you guys have already done so much for me… " Elizabeth tugged her chin out of Leonardo's grip and stared at her crossed legs.

Leonardo leaned forward, cupping her small face in his large hands. He couldn't help but notice how his hands seemed to dwarf her. Elizabeth jerked a little as if she wanted to pull away but then she went still, as if resigned to the fact that she wouldn't be able to pull away, even though Leonardo's hold on her wasn't hard.

"You are neither a burden or any trouble to our family, Elizabeth. You were willing to risk everything to save Donny. And for that you will always be welcome here." Leonardo said firmly. He felt Elizabeth's skin warm a little beneath his hands as she blushed slightly. Then Leonardo gently released her, stood, and left her alone, with only the echoes of Elizabeth's soft sniffling breaking the silence behind him.

* * *

><p>Raphael knew that Leonardo was going to be angry before he even walked in the door. But right now he couldn't sum up the energy to even care. He wasn't in the mood to listen to one of his brother's famous lectures about being out until the sun had started to come up, the dangers of exposure. It was one Raphael had heard a hundred times before and he was sure that he would hear it time and time again from his older brother. He clenched his jaw as he pushed open the front door, hoping that Leonardo had gone out for a training run or was busy in the dojo so Raphael would have the chance to sneak past his brother and avoid the lecture for now. If he avoided the confrontation for a few hours it would give Leonardo a chance to cool down. Seeing that Raphael had come home in one piece usually helped keep Leonardo's temper relatively in check, but Raphael knew he'd still get a lecture from his big brother later.<p>

The lair was brightly lit when he walked through the door, and the scent of warm food filled the air. Raphael growled low in his throat, knowing that at least someone was awake, which would make trying to sneak past everyone into his room almost impossible. He wasn't in the mood for a lecture though, he just wanted to sleep.

Moving across the lair on silent feet, Raphael was able to remain undetected until Michelangelo emerged from the bathroom and his eyes widened when he spotted Raphael at the foot of the stairs.

"Raph! Were you out all night?"

Raphael scowled at his orange-banded brother. He grabbed the handrail and started up the stairs only to be stopped again when Leonardo's voice echoed up to him.

"Raph."

Raphael squeezed his eyes shut behind his mask, feeling the irritation at the upcoming lecture already eating at his frayed nerves. But to his surprise Leonardo didn't start right in with a lecture. Reluctantly Raphael turned to look at his brother with wary eyes. Leonardo was studying him carefully his brown eyes slightly narrowed behind his mask, but for once he didn't look irritated or angry that Raphael had been out all night. Instead a look of understanding crossed his face and his expression softened a little. Raphael found his irritation licking at him again like a flame licking at a log. He didn't know why but Leonardo's expression irked him more than if his brother had simply started in on the lecture.

"Breakfast is ready."

"Not hungry," Raphael's voice was empty.

Leonardo nodded. "Well if you change your mind."

"I won't." Raphael said in the same dead tone. Then without waiting for his brother to say anything else and ignoring the worried expression on Michelangelo's face Raphael turned and ran up the remaining steps before disappearing into his room and slamming his door shut behind him. His brothers knew better than to disturb him here. He knew that he'd get the quiet and solitude he was so desperately craving.

After removing his sai from his belt Raphael collapsed into his hammock, throwing one arm over his eyes while he gently rocked back and forth on the netted cord.

He didn't know why Elizabeth's secret had bothered him so bad. He hadn't known her for that long and he had known she was married from the enormous diamond ring on her finger. But why hadn't she told them she was pregnant sooner? Why keep it a secret from them?

Raphael knew it really wasn't his business either way. But he couldn't help but feel as if Elizabeth had betrayed them somehow. That she had been deceitful in keeping this from them. That she had deliberately tried to hurt them, him, by not mentioning this earlier.

But why? Why was it bothering him so badly? Why did her being pregnant make him see her with different eyes?

The hammock slowly stopped its gentle swaying and Raphael felt his body start to shut down, exhausted from his nightly exertions and lack of sleep. His mind, however, continued to race with thoughts that had been plaguing him all night.

Elizabeth's being pregnant bothered him more than if April had told them she was pregnant. If April had announced that she and Casey were going to have a baby he'd be happy for them. So why was Elizabeth any different? Was it was because it was Elizabeth had hidden it from them? Or was it the fact that she was having Graham's baby that bothered him?

Raphael's lip curled as Graham's name crossed his mind and he knew he had his answer. He didn't like the fact that Elizabeth was having this man's baby, that after everything he'd done to her and how he'd treated her that he was still going to have the reward of a precious newborn to take care of. Graham didn't deserve that right – he had no rights to Elizabeth or her unborn child.

But would he have felt different about it if it hadn't been Graham's child? Raphael pondered that for several long minutes, not bothering to move at all as his body gradually became heavier and heavier around his still active mind.

No. Raphael finally decided. He wouldn't want Elizabeth to be pregnant with any man's child. No man would ever be good enough for her. Despite all that Elizabeth had gone through, despite everything Graham had done to try and tear her apart Elizabeth had pulled through and was still strong enough to open up her heart to a family of mutant turtles and their father. Raphael closed his eyes tighter, remembering the expression on Elizabeth's face when she first saw him.

There had been surprise and shock of course, but no fear. Instead her green eyes had soaked in every inch of his body, committing it to memory, the shock and surprise draining from her face the longer she stared at him. Raphael had felt a weird sensation while her eyes had been roaming his body. Although they never wore clothes he'd never felt more exposed than he had when Elizabeth's eyes had been on him. He'd never felt more aware of his own body than he had in that moment.

And then there had been that weird electric current that had passed through his body the first time she had touched him. Raphael remembered quite clearly how terrified Elizabeth had been of Donatello and how she had trusted him in a way that she hadn't trusted his brother. She hadn't even wanted Donatello to touch her unless Raphael was with her.

The corner of his mouth twitched a little as he remembered the warmth of her hand in his, the color of her cheeks when she blushed. How soft and fragile her body had felt beneath his grip.

Raphael dropped his arm from his eyes and stared up at the black ceiling above him. What the shell had gotten into him anyway? Was he seriously falling for this girl that he'd just met? What was it about her that had this strange hold on him? Something so strong that the thought of her having a baby, someone else's baby made it so hard for him to even look at her. That the thought of her having anyone else's baby but his own was just wrong.

Raphael shook his head and rolled over onto his side, settling until he found a more comfortable position to lie in. He had no right thinking these things – he knew that. Why would Elizabeth want to be with a mutated turtle, let alone carry his baby? And even though Raphael really didn't like her husband and the thought of seeing him torn apart by ravenous dogs made him smile, all that Raphael really wanted for her was to be happy.

Letting his eyes drift closed again Raphael's breathing soon slowed and he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

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><p>Elizabeth was staring at the cup of water cradled between her hands with more intensity than was really necessary. She could feel Michelangelo's eyes land on her occasionally but she couldn't gather up the energy to care.<p>

Breakfast had been an unusually quiet affair, and Elizabeth had been glad when it was over. Donatello had once again disappeared into his lab, telling Elizabeth to let him know if the anti nausea pill he'd given her, after much research about the effects it would have and knowing it wouldn't affect her baby, helped her keep down her breakfast for a change. Elizabeth almost wished that it wasn't working. The scrambled eggs she'd eaten for breakfast were weighing her down, settling about as well in her stomach as a small pile of rocks would. She might as well have eaten rocks. She hadn't tasted the eggs at all and she'd only spoken when someone had addressed her directly at breakfast.

She was dying to go talk to Raphael, but after he'd come home he'd made no effort to even look at her, let alone seem interested in talking to her. Leonardo might have forgiven her, but she had a feeling that Raphael was more bothered by this than all of the others were put together.

Suddenly the chair next to her scraped against the rough floor, startling Elizabeth from her thoughts. Her eyes snapped up to Michelangelo's face, who looked a bit amused that he'd caught her unawares. Her eyes automatically darted to the sink where he'd been washing dishes a few seconds ago but all trace of the breakfast dishes were gone, the counters empty of any leftover crumbs. She looked back at Michelangelo who was studying her carefully.

"So… " Michelangelo said with all seriousness.

Elizabeth fought back the urge to flinch, knowing that this had to come sometime. She hadn't expected it to be from Michelangelo though.

"What's the little fella's name gonna be?" Michelangelo suddenly asked, Elizabeth felt her eyes widen in surprise and her mouth pop open in shock. Michelangelo's eyes were twinkling as he grinned at her and his hand reached forward to rub her flat stomach gently.

This hadn't been what Elizabeth had expected. But as she watched Michelangelo's hand gently caress her stomach she wondered exactly what she had expected from the orange-banded turtle. Anger? Resentment? Frustration? Elizabeth had a feeling that it was rare for Michelangelo to really show those kinds of feelings around others. He always seemed so laid back and content with the way things were, and he seemed so sure of who he was.

Although, Elizabeth mused, he had no reason to really stress about the major things in life. Even though she'd only known them for a short time Elizabeth had quickly learned that Michelangelo was quite comfortable being the youngest of the four turtles, Leonardo especially seemed to shield his brother as best he could when Michelangelo got himself into trouble – usually with Raphael. But even then Raphael's anger never lasted. Being the youngest also had other advantages, Michelangelo did things that would be completely unacceptable if the other turtles did them. Like Michelangelo's obsession with action figures and comic books. Michelangelo had proudly showed her his entire collection of each, Elizabeth couldn't imagine any of the others with such a collection. It would seem strange to walk in and find Leonardo playing with action figures or reading a comic book. With Michelangelo's happy-go-lucky personality and child-at-heart spirit those things suited him perfectly. So for Michelangelo to react with excitement over Elizabeth's pregnancy Elizabeth realized that she shouldn't have been so surprised.

"I'm not going to name the baby, Mikey," Elizabeth said running her own hand over her flat belly as Michelangelo's eyes snapped up to her face, his mouth turning down in a frown as he stared at her with an intensity that didn't belong in those baby blue eyes of his.

"Why not? You aren't going to call it "it" it's whole life are you?" Michelangelo inquired sitting back in his chair and grinning smugly as if the idea was one Elizabeth hadn't considered.

"No, but I'm not planning on keeping the baby either," Elizabeth muttered. "I hadn't planned on this, Mikey. This isn't something I wanted."

The grin slid of Michelangelo's face quickly, replaced instead with a rather puzzled twist of his mouth as he stared at her quizzically. "You don't want to have the baby?"

Elizabeth sighed, staring down at her cup once again, running her fingers up and down the condensation and then rubbed her wet fingers together before rubbing them against her pajama pants.

"Why not?" Michelangelo pressed.

Elizabeth shook her head and got to her feet, walking to the sink and dumping the contents of her cup down the sink. She leaned against the sink for a minute, fighting down a handful of emotions she'd been feeling ever since she'd discovered she was pregnant.

"Elizabeth? Are you ok? Should I get Donny?"

Elizabeth sucked in a sharp breath fighting back the tears, and jumped when Michelangelo's hand rested on her shoulder.

"How do you guys do that?" Elizabeth asked looking at Michelangelo over her shoulder.

"Do what?"

"Move without making any noise."

To her surprise Michelangelo grinned rather widely. "It's a ninja thing."

Elizabeth smiled back at him, unable to help herself. Michelangelo's grins were contagious, it was hard to hold onto those miserable feelings inside her when Michelangelo smiled at her.

"Do you need me to get Donny?" Michelangelo repeated.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm fine, Mikey. I'm just a little tired."

"You want me to help you back to your room?"

"Actually," Elizabeth said slowly turning around so she was staring at Michelangelo head on. "I'm kind of tired of being confined to bed. You have any cards?"

Michelangelo's face lit up with delight. "You want to make the biggest card house in the world?"

Elizabeth chuckled a little. "Actually I was thinking of something else. You ever play canasta?"

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><p>Leonardo emerged from the dojo for the second time that morning, although this time he'd actually had the chance to work out. Covered with sweat and with his muscles aching with the stress of his workout Leonardo wiped the sweat away with a clean towel and headed for the kitchen to grab a cup of tea before he'd go to the bathroom and grab a shower. He hoped by the time he was done Raphael would be up so he could talk to his brother. He'd known from experience that when Raphael had been out all night he wasn't in the mood to listen to reason, but by the time he'd gotten some sleep and some food in him he was usually much more reasonable.<p>

"Aww… come on," Michelangelo groaned as Leonardo approached the kitchen.

Leonardo's eyes narrowed marginally behind his mask as he came around the corner and the kitchen table, along with Elizabeth and Michelangelo came into view. To Leonardo's surprise it looked like Elizabeth was playing a card game with his brother, and from the looks of it she was winning. Hiding a grin Leonardo made his way across the kitchen to the tea kettle and filled it with water.

"Something wrong, Mikey?" Leonardo asked not bothering to turn around to look at his brother, not willing to give away how funny he found the fact that Mikey was losing for a change. Michelangelo took pride in the fact that he usually smoked his brothers in every game they played. To see him losing for a change was a nice change, it took Michelangelo down a peg.

"Gettin' my shell kicked," Michelangelo grumbled.

Elizabeth chuckled as she drew two more cards from the small deck on the table, adding a couple cards to a few piles she had spread out in front of her before discarding a black three.

Michelangelo groaned again as he drew two cards and scowled at them before his blue eyes darted at the many piles spread out in front of Elizabeth. His shoulders sagged a little and he discarded a queen. Elizabeth snatched up the queen and added it to her pile, counted the cards, the placed a red queen on top of her pile pushed them together until they were in a neat pile and set them aside before picking up the rest of the cards from the discard pile she distributed cards amongst her many piles and then discarded a black three again.

Michelangelo huffed, irritated, and drew two more cards from the pile. His eyes lit up as he set a joker down onto one pile and counted up the cards.

"Now you said if the canasta wasn't a natural it was a red one on top?"

"Black," Elizabeth corrected.

Michelangelo put a black card on top of the pile and set the pile aside.

Leonardo watched in silence for a couple more minutes, watching as Elizabeth played the game with the air of an experienced player, easily taking advantage of Michelangelo's inexperience in the game. Finally Elizabeth discarded her last card and grinned triumphantly at Michelangelo.

"Count up the points in your hand, Mikey, and subtract that amount from what you have on the table before you add up your points."

Michelangelo dropped three cards onto the table, while Elizabeth counted silently in her head pointing to each of her neater piles and screwing up her brow in concentration while she added the points in her head.

The kettle whistled, drawing Leonardo's attention to it. He turned and poured the hot water into a teacup and adding his teabag. When he turned back Elizabeth had finished counting her points and was helping out Michelangelo.

"Sorry, Mikey, you lost this round. Pay up." Elizabeth sat back with a grin, holding out her hand expectantly.

Leonardo watched, bemused, as Michelangelo handed Elizabeth a candy bar and Elizabeth quickly tore off the wrapper and stuffed the chocolate into her mouth.

"It's your deal," Elizabeth said around her mouthful of chocolate.

Michelangelo rose from the table. "I'll be back in a minute, Elizabeth. Bathroom break."

Elizabeth nodded her understanding and picked up the cards, shuffling the cards expertly in her hands.

"I'm impressed," Leonardo said with a grin, and Elizabeth's eyes darted quickly to him before focusing on the cards again. "Not many people can beat Mikey in something."

Elizabeth chuckled. "It's all about strategy and learning the way your opponent plays his cards."

"Not always Mikey's strongest attribute," Leonardo said his grin widening.

Elizabeth laughed as she shuffled the cards again. "I wouldn't underestimate him, Leo. Mikey picks up on more than you'd think. I saw the way he was studying me this last round, learning my moves – I don't think I'll have it so easy next time."

"This I've got to see. You mind?" Leonardo asked, gesturing to an empty chair beside her.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Of course not."

Leonardo sat down next to her just as Michelangelo reentered the kitchen, practically bouncing up and down in anticipation and Leonardo could see from the look on his face that he hadn't taken his defeat well.

"Ok," Michelangelo said sitting down opposite of Elizabeth and taking the deck of shuffled cards from her, dealing them out fifteen each before pick up his pile. "Double or nothing this time."

Elizabeth shared a knowing look with Leonardo, then picked up her pile of cards with a smirk. This was going to be fun.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey everyone I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the last few chapters have been. Sorry about that I've had a lot going on right now and it has been hard for me to concentrate on writing or even feeling up to writing. Work is getting busier for me so updates may be few and far between but I promise I'll always update when I can. Unfortunately I've had crazy mood swings and there are some days I'm just not up to writing. I promise though I'm not giving up on this story. So I appreciate you guys hanging in there with me and for all the kind remarks and support I've gotten in my reviews. I really appreciate it everyone. So thank you. I'll try and get another chapter done next week because after that I start working 6 days a week. No promises but I'll try. In the meantime enjoy this next chapter. :D Also I know I put some more Japanese in this chapter - I don't speak Japanese so I'm sorry if it isn't perfect.**

**Musuko - Son**

**Otousan - Father**

**Daijoobu desu ka - Are You Ok?**

**Iie - No**

**Wakarimasen - I don't understand**

**Goseikou wo inorimasu - Good Luck**

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><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

It was well after three before Raphael rolled out of his hammock and slowly made his way down the stairs, hoping that there was at least one beer left in the fridge. He yawned, stretching his arms up over his head as he stepped off the bottom stair, still feeling his long night out.

He could hear Leonardo practicing in the dojo, and from the sounds of the constructive criticism Splinter was in there with him. The door to Donatello's lab was closed, usually meaning that his second youngest brother did not want to be disturbed, and over on the couch in front of the TVs Michelangelo sat slumped against the cushions in his usual pouting position. Raphael smirked a little as he made his way to the kitchen, wondering what had gotten Michelangelo in that sort of mood for it normally wasn't easy to do.

He paused when he reached the entryway of the kitchen and spotted Elizabeth at the kitchen table. She had a smile pile of empty candy wrappers next to her left elbow and it looked like she was playing a game of solitaire with two decks of cards.

Her mouth twitched a little, no doubt having seen him from the corner of her eye. "Back for more, Mikey?" She turned to look at him and the smile slid off her face faster than if it had been slapped off. What little color she had in her cheeks drained and her green eyes widened in surprise when she met his gaze. "Raph , I'm sorry I thought you were… "

"Sorry ta disappoint ya," Raphael said darkly as he made his way to the fridge and pulled it open. He growled low in his throat when he saw the absence of any traces of beer. All that was in there were a few cans of soda, the last of the milk and a couple water bottles. He'd have to ask Casey to make a beer run for him soon.

"No, Raph, it wasn't… I didn't mean it like… "

Raphael looked at her over his shoulder and Elizabeth's cheeks turned a dark pink. Raphael found the color in her cheeks quite flattering, he looked away quickly reaching for a bag of chips Michelangelo had left on the counter. He popped a few into his mouth, made a face, then put the bag back. He chewed and swallowed quickly. He pulled open the fridge, grabbed a can of soda, and gulped down several mouthfuls to get rid of the flavor, but even then he had the aftertaste lingering on his tongue.

Elizabeth didn't seem to notice, she was staring sadly at the pile of cards she had on the table as she slowly flipped over the cards she had in her hand, looking to see where she could make her next play.

"Why didn't ya say somethin', 'Lizbeth?" Raphael asked again, his voice a bit sharper than he'd intended.

Elizabeth flinched and looked up at him through hooded eyes. "About what?"

Raphael glared at her, his teeth grinding together as his jaw clenched tight enough to make the muscles jump in his irritation. He knew that Elizabeth knew what he was talking about and he didn't appreciate her putting him off or trying to avoid the subject.

"Da baby – why didn't ya say dat ya were pregnant?"

Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip for a minute. "I guess I didn't think it was that important at the time."

"Not important?" Raphael was incredulous and he could feel the anger building in his gut like an unstoppable flood. He couldn't stop the next words from flying out of his mouth. "Ya lied ta us! Ta me! Ya put us all in danger by not tellin' us 'bout dis pregnancy! No wonder yer husband is lookin' fer ya!"

Elizabeth got to her feet so quickly, and with such force that her chair fell backwards onto the floor with a loud bang. She held her hands at her sides, balled into fists, her nails digging into the soft skin on her palms. She glared at Raphael, her green eyes brimming with anger and hurt. But there was something in her eyes that Raphael had never seen in her eyes before. It wasn't fear, or even anger. This was beyond anger. This was furious. And although Elizabeth was certainly no match for him in a fight Raphael realized quickly that he'd gone too far, he clenched his jaw even tighter unwilling to admit it even if it was only to himself.

"If you want me to leave, Raphael, just say it!" Elizabeth shouted, her voice easily carrying to the other rooms.

Raphael's eyes narrowed to thin slits. "I ain't puttin' no ideas in yer head, 'Lizbeth. If yer gonna let dat creep get ya pregnant why'd ya want ta leave 'im in da first place? Ya tink he's gonna leave ya alone now dat yer carryin' 'is kid?"

Something flew so fast towards his head that if Raphael hadn't been trained to avoid such things it would have hit him before he had time to react. Ducking quickly, however, the object smashed against the cupboard behind him, raining bits of glass all over the counter and floor. Raphael turned in surprise from the remains of a drinking glass to see Elizabeth storming out of the kitchen, she turned back, her eyes shooting daggers at him.

"I don't know what I ever saw in a jerk like you, Raphael!" Elizabeth spat, then she turned and hurried away.

"Elizabeth, what happened?"

Raphael's jaw tightened, hearing the concern in Leonardo's voice.

"Just leave me alone!" Elizabeth snapped. Raphael heard her feet pounding against the floor and then the unmistakable sound of the guest room's door slamming shut.

Leonardo appeared seconds later, his face torn between confusion and anger. When he saw the shattered glass behind his brother his eyes narrowed marginally and he folded his arms across his plastron in the hated position he took when he went into "leader" mode. "Raph, would you mind explaining what happened here?"

"Nuttin'," Raphael grumbled.

"Is everything ok? I thought I heard something break," Michelangelo asked as he and Donatello rushed to join their brothers in the kitchen. He frowned when he saw the abandoned solitaire game. "Where's Elizabeth?"

"Probably packin'," Raphael said crushing his empty can and aiming it towards the garbage can.

"What do you mean packing?" Donatello demanded glaring at his red-banded brother his normally even temper flaring up a little. "Raph, what did you do?"

"Nuttin'!" Raphael snapped his eyes flashing dangerously.

"What did you say to her, Raph?" Leonardo's tone irked Raphael's already volatile temper. He glared at his older brother, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he stared evenly back at his brother.

"Mike, you'd better go talk to her," Donatello said pushing his orange-banded brother towards Elizabeth's room.

Michelangelo nodded grimly and hurried away.

"Raph!" Leonardo said again, less patiently this time.

Raphael's glare darkened a little, but Leonardo met it evenly. "She had no right keepin' dat from us, Leo. She shoulda told us 'bout da baby."

"So you gave her the third degree because she didn't feel comfortable enough telling us that her abusive husband forced her to get pregnant?" Leonardo was incredulous.

"Forced 'er? She let dat creep do dat ta 'er." Raphael shot back.

"Raph!" Leonardo said his tone suddenly sharp and angry for the first time. "Elizabeth didn't want to have a baby – Graham did. You think that the only thing he did to her was physically beat the crap out of her? Graham forced her to get pregnant. Elizabeth told Mikey and I everything earlier and explained why she didn't tell us earlier."

"Don't tell me ya actually believed it!" Raphael snapped angrily.

Leonardo's expression darkened as he scowled angrily back at his brother. "You know, Raph, I'm a bit surprised that you aren't giving her more of a chance. But I guess she would be better off if she wasn't staying with us."

"Whatever," Raphael growled pushing past his brother and heading towards the door.

"Raphael! Where are you going?"

"Out! If dat ain't ok with you den try an stop me!" Raphael stormed out into the sewers slamming the door behind him.

Leonardo scowled at the door, working his jaw hard enough to make his muscles ache. Donatello cleared his throat quietly, but it caught his older brother's attention as if he'd shouted.

Donatello's eyes were somber. "Leo, you aren't going to let Elizabeth go back to Graham are you?"

"No, Donny, but Raph's pretty upset about this right now," He sighed and looked away from his brother.. "And he isn't the only one. I think it'd be best if Elizabeth went somewhere safe until things cool down around here."

"What if he's still looking for her though, Leo? Do we really want to have to go through what she risked her life to get us out of? Do you really think it is worth the risk?"

"What choice do we have, Donny? Do you really think she'd be happy staying here with us?"

Donatello frowned and looked off towards Elizabeth's room, where Michelangelo was hovering outside, hesitating. "But where is she going to go, Leo?"

Leonardo pulled his shell cell from his belt. "I'll call April. Maybe she'll know of a safe place that Elizabeth can stay until this all blows over. Then I'll go find Raph"

Donatello nodded, seeming to be satisfied with his oldest brother's solution, then he turned back and headed to the lab to continue the lab work he'd been working on before the smashing drinking glass had caught his attention. He saw Michelangelo raise up a hand and knock on Elizabeth's door. He sighed to himself and rubbed the back of his head. Elizabeth deserved better than this. But he knew that Raphael wasn't going to change. The news had taken him off guard and until Raphael felt he had a good explanation on why Elizabeth hadn't told them he wasn't going to forgive her. Donatello knew he hadn't been much better - he'd been just as angry as Raphael had been when April had told them Elizabeth's secret. Although Donatello wasn't sure if he was more upset over the fact Elizabeth had kept it a secret or that April had been the one to tell them. But right now there was nothing Donatello could do about it - all he could do was continue his research and lab work and figure out the best way to help keep Elizabeth and the baby healthy. Raphael would come around in time. He always did.

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><p>Michelangelo hesitated outside of Elizabeth's closed bedroom door. He wasn't at all sure what he was supposed to say to her. There was nothing he really could say to make this any easier for her. He like his brothers knew that Raphael was just being stubborn - but he'd come around. He always did after all. And he also knew that Leonardo was right. Until his brother did calm down Elizabeth would be at the mercy of his wrath and that wasn't a place Michelangelo would wish for anyone except for the Shredder, Bishop, or any of the other guys they'd had to fight over the years to be. Well, maybe Graham too. Michelangelo wouldn't mind if Raphael went a few rounds with that guy. In fact he'd rather enjoy it – he'd sell tickets and pop the popcorn for the show. He had no doubt it would be entertaining.<p>

Michelangelo knew that Raphael had taken Elizabeth's news the hardest. And Michelangelo knew why – he'd seen the way Raphael had looked at her. All of his brothers had been taken by surprise none of them had known that Elizabeth was hiding such a dark secret. He'd been afraid after Raphael had taken off after April had told them the news that Raphael would treat Elizabeth indifferently. He himself wasn't super crazy about Elizabeth having Graham's kid – but after what Elizabeth had told him and Leo in the kitchen earlier… well he couldn't blame her for not telling them sooner.

Suppressing a sigh of irritation for his stubborn brother he knocked softly on the door. "Elizabeth?"

There was no answer.

Michelangelo waited a minute then knocked again. "Elizabeth? It's Mikey – can I come in?"

Again there was no answer.

Michelangelo frowned. Something didn't feel right here. He knocked again, louder this time and with more urgency. "Elizabeth? Can you hear me?"

When again he got no answer, Michelangelo twisted the knob and pushed the door open. He poked his head around the edge of the door, not wanting to bust in on Elizabeth if she was changing her clothes. He didn't see her. He pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped into the room. Something still didn't feel right. But he couldn't quite place what it was.

"Elizabeth?"

Piles of Elizabeth's clothes had been thrown onto the bed in a messy heap, several of the drawers had been pulled out from the second hand dresser as if someone had been searching for something in its contents. Michelangelo made his way further into the room, his discomfort growing.

The sheets on the bed had been ripped off the bed and were now in a crumpled heap at the foot of the bed, the pillows thrown across the room to the furthest corner. A single lamp had been overturned it's lampshade now rolling slowly back and forth on the floor as if it had just barely hit the ground. Michelangelo stopped and picked it up, and froze. Three long streaks of blood were on one side of the lampshade.

"Elizabeth!" Michelangelo dropped the lampshade and hurried around the bed where he found Elizabeth crumpled on the other side, not moving. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, her shirt soaked with blood.

"DONNY! LEO!" Michelangelo screamed for his brothers as he fell down beside Elizabeth's limp unmoving body. He gently scooped Elizabeth up into his arms, trying to see where the source of all this blood was coming from.

"Mikey! You ok?"

"What's wrong, Mikey?"

Both Donatello and Leonardo rushed into the room together, both of them wild eyed and tense with their stress. Donatello was the first to spot where Michelangelo was clutching a limp Elizabeth to his plastron and instantly grasped the severity of the situation. He was kneeling next to Michelangelo and Elizabeth in a split second.

"What happened, Mikey?" Donatello demanded as he began examining Elizabeth for wounds.

"I don't know – I found her… " Michelangelo was staring down at Elizabeth's pale face in shock.

"Looks like she cut herself," Donatello said grimly examining Elizabeth's left arm and then doing the same with her right. "Several times." He looked up at Leonardo who hadn't moved from the doorway. "These weren't accidental cuts, Leo. She did them on purpose."

"How bad are they, Donny?"

"She's not conscious," Donatello said frowning worriedly at Elizabeth's pale face. He put two fingers to her neck. "She's going into shock. We need to get her to the lab."

Michelangelo nodded and stood up, jogging out of the room with his bundle as fast as he could. Leonardo moved aside quickly to let him pass, but grabbed Donatello's arm briefly. "She tried to kill herself, Donny?"

Donatello shook her head. "I don't think she did, Leo. I saw some old scars on her arms. I thought they might have been from Graham but now I think she may be a cutter. She's probably done this for a while and hit a major blood vessel this time."

"What did she have to cut herself with?" Leonardo asked bewildered.

"There's a shuriken on the floor over there, guess she found it in the dojo."

Leonardo released his brother and Donatello hurried away towards the infirmary.

Leonardo remained where he was staring at the small puddle of blood on the ground where Elizabeth had been lying a minute ago.

"Leonardo? Musuko? Daijoobu desu ka?"

"Iie, Otousan," Leonardo whispered, closing his eyes briefly when Splinter laid a clawed paw on his shoulder. "Wakarimasen."

Splinter squeezed Leonardo's shoulder gently. "Not everything has an explanation, Leonardo."

"But why would she do this, Master Splinter? Donny said that she did it on purpose."

Leonardo turned around so he could face Splinter's eyes, his own eyes searching for answers that couldn't be found there.

"Leonardo, the only one who can answer that question is Elizabeth. But I feel that Elizabeth has been under enormous strain after telling us about the baby. She feels as if she has let everyone down so perhaps she felt like she needed to punish herself. I have sensed Elizabeth's spirit and I fear it is very damaged, she brings a lot of weight onto herself and when your brother handled her news about the baby poorly Elizabeth withdrew further into herself. I fear the only one that can help her through this is Raphael."

"I'll go look for him then, Master Splinter," Leonardo said with a quick formal bow.

Splinter dipped his head in a semi-bow before Leonardo quickly brushed past him and jogged out of the lair. "Goseikou wo inorimasu, Musuko."

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><p>"Is she going to be ok, Donny?" Michelangelo asked. He was hovering behind Donatello as he worked, constantly standing on his toes so he could see over Donatello's shoulder, much to Donatello's annoyance.<p>

Donatello finished wrapping an ace bandage around Elizabeth's arm. "She lost a good amount of blood, but she's stable, Mikey. She'll be ok."

"What about the baby?"

"I don't know yet, Mikey. I'll have to do a sonogram and see. I don't know how far along Elizabeth is – my guess is that she's still in her first trimester so I don't know if I'll be able to see anything, if not I might have to take some samples."

"Will that hurt the baby?"

"It shouldn't," Donatello said absent-mindedly. "Grab a few extra blankets, Mikey. She's still really cold."

Michelangelo hurried out of the infirmary to grab more blankets while Donatello started up his makeshift sonogram machine. By the time Michelangelo got back Donatello was running the transducer over Elizabeth's stomach and staring at the screen with narrowed eyes.

"Donny?"

Donatello didn't answer for a minute but continued to run the transducer over her abdomen, pressing a little and frowning at what he saw.

"Donny, is she ok?"

Donatello sighed and turned off the machine, wiping a towel over her abdomen to wipe away the gel he'd applied on her. "She'll be ok, Mikey."

"And the baby?"

"My guess is she's probably ten or eleven weeks along."

"That isn't what I meant, Donny," Michelangelo snapped impatiently.

Donatello looked at his brother in surprise. "The baby will be ok, Mikey. I didn't see anything that would indicate embryo distress but I'm going to take a few samples just in case."

"Donny?"

"Yeah, Mikey?"

"Why did she do that? What was she trying to do?"

Donatello sighed, remembering that Michelangelo hadn't heard him telling Leonardo that he'd already found the evidence that Elizabeth was a cutter. "I think she did it, Mikey, because it makes her feel like she is in control of some part of her life."

"How does… that doesn't make sense." Michelangelo disagreed.

"Mikey, Elizabeth has been in an abusive marriage for who knows how long now. Being controlled in every which way. You saw how Graham was – I'm sure he was in total control of when Elizabeth went out, when she was supposed to be home, what she was told to cook, how to dress, how she was forced to be with him. So as a result Elizabeth felt like she had no control whatsoever about what happened in her life and to her body. But by cutting herself she felt like she had some small semblance of control – by controlling her pain."

"But she hasn't done that before since she's come here." Michelangelo stared sadly at Elizabeth's pale face.

"Because while she's been with us she's felt like she has more control over her life."

"So why would she… ?"

"Probably because of Raph's reaction to her pregnancy. Cutting isn't just about control, Mikey. It can also be a way for someone to punish themselves. Elizabeth felt like she let us down – I should have seen this coming."

"Donny, you shouldn't blame yourself – you couldn't have known."

"There was evidence that she was a cutter, Mikey," Donatello argued. He sighed as he stuck a needle into her pale skin and slowly extracted some fluid. "It's a good thing you got there when you did, Mikey. You probably saved her life."

Michelangelo swallowed hard with the seriousness of this revelation. If he had gotten there just five minutes later… he suppressed a shudder as Donatello took another sample, then seeming satisfied he went to his work desk to begin to study it.

"Donny?"

"Yeah, Mikey?"

"Are you going to tell Raph?"

Donatello sighed and ducked his head for a moment before turning and looking at Michelangelo over his shoulder. "He's going to have to know, Mikey. You were lucky enough to find her fast enough that we could get the bleeding under control – but that doesn't mean she won't try it again. It'd be best if we avoided that."

"Do you think Leo will be able to find him?"

Donatello turned back to the samples. "If anyone can, it'll be Leo, Mikey. He'll bring Raph home."

Michelangelo looked outside of the infirmary towards the shut door. "Yeah, I know he will."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hey guys - sorry again about the delay in updates. I have so much going on right now and I just haven't been feeling up to code the past couple days. Last week was insane for me I was working five days and the one day I had off I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off all day. I just couldn't seem to find time to do half the things I should have. This week hasn't been much better. But I finally got another update done. So I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Raph finally pulls his head out of his shell thanks to an old friend... but does it change how he feels about Elizabeth's baby? Guess you'll have to read and find out. :D Enjoy I'll be back again soon. And thanks again to those who leave reviews, I really enjoy reading them and it gives me a little lift when I'm having a hard day. See you guys next time.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

Leonardo didn't return to the lair for several hours. Donatello, satisfied that Elizabeth was stabilized had Michelangelo help him carry her back to her room where she would be more comfortable. Splinter had already cleaned up the mess that Elizabeth had made in there and had gone back to his room to rest. Donatello had retired to his lab once again while Michelangelo grabbed a few comic books and then perched himself on a chair just inside Elizabeth's room.

By the time Leonardo returned home Michelangelo had abandoned his perch and was now stirring a pot on the stove while it bubbled and frothed. Leonardo sank into a kitchen chair wearily, scowling down at the tabletop while clenching and unclenching his jaw. Michelangelo stopped stirring what he was cooking.

"Where's Raph, Leo?"

"He's not coming, Mikey." Leonardo's tone was a bit sharp. Michelangelo's eye ridges narrowed.

"But doesn't he know what Elizabeth did?"

"He knows everything, Mikey. He still isn't coming." Leonardo looked up at Michelangelo, his expression was tight his eyes angry. "I can't force him to come home, Mikey. We aren't teenagers anymore."

"Why can't he pull his head out of his shell and think of someone else for a change?" Michelangelo asked impatiently, turning back to the stove as the frothy substance bubbled over the pot and made a hissing noise as it hit the burner.

"Because Raph needs time to adjust to this, Mikey. Elizabeth's secret took him by surprise – and I think it hit him the hardest."

"But… I thought… " Michelangelo frowned as he stirred the contents of the pot slowly with a wooden spoon. "I mean with the way he looked at her sometimes… "

"He likes her, Mikey," Donatello said quietly as he joined them. He sat down heavily next to Leonardo. "But that just makes it more complicated."

Michelangelo nodded quietly.

"Raph will come home when he's ready – he always does," Donatello said logically. "He needs to calm down first though – it won't do him or Elizabeth any good if he comes home still steamed up from earlier. Raph needs to blow off some of that anger before he can come home with a level head. But he'll be back later, Mikey. He knows where he's needed. "

"It's kind of funny," Michelangelo said quietly not bothering to turn around.

"What's funny?" Donatello asked.

"Raph and Elizabeth – I never thought that we'd… well that there would be a possibility for one of us to really have someone like her. I mean with us being… well I never really thought about it before."

Donatello glanced at Leonardo who was scowling at the tabletop again. "I don't think any of us did, Mikey."

"Do you really think it would work?" Michelangelo paused and looked over his shoulder.

Donatello shook his head once. "I really wouldn't know, Mikey. But I don't think that is something we should be worrying about right now."

Michelangelo glanced at Leonardo and nodded, as if understanding that this wasn't the time to talk about this. It was obvious that whatever had happened between Leonardo and Raphael hadn't been pretty and his brother was still angry about it.

Leonardo didn't seem to be listening. Instead he stood up, drawing both of his brothers' eyes on him. "I'm not hungry don't worry about dinner, Mikey."

"Uh… ok, Leo," Michelangelo said uncertainly watching as his brother left the kitchen and headed for the dojo. He looked at Donatello searching for answers.

Donatello sighed. "Save him something for later, Mikey. He'll cool down after he has a few hours in the dojo he always does. "

"You hungry, Donny? It's pasta!"

Donatello shook his head. "Not right now, Mikey. But I'll grab some later. You might want to save some for Raph too. I doubt he'll get anything to eat unless he's with Casey. Then Casey might grab them a pizza or something. I have a feeling that he won't be home any time soon."

"And Elizabeth?"

"We'll have to see how she feels when she wakes up."

"Ok, Donny," Michelangelo stirred the contents of the pot sadly as his brother left the kitchen. He no longer felt like eating himself. So he dumped the contents into a strainer, and proceeded to clean up the mess in the kitchen. As he put the food into containers he hoped silently that Raph's attitude towards Elizabeth would change soon. Otherwise it would make life for all of them very uncomfortable for a while.

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><p>"Here ya go, Raph," Casey said settling next to the red-banded turtle and taking a sip of his own beer.<p>

Raphael grinned and popped the lid, taking a long swig.

It was well after dark now and he had ventured out to meet up with Casey once it was safe to venture to the surface. Casey had seemed willing enough to join him on his nightly rounds, that was one good thing about Casey Jones – he was always up for roughing up a few street thugs.

April on the other hand hadn't looked as thrilled about it – and Raphael had had the feeling that Leonardo had called her and told her what had happened between him and Elizabeth. But he wasn't going to let it get to him. Elizabeth had lied to them – all of them. She had put his family in danger by not telling them that she was carrying that jerk's kid. So how was he supposed to feel about that? Happy? Excited? That wasn't going to happen. The very thought that Elizabeth had let Graham do that to her made his blood boil.

Raphael took another swig of his beer, as he stared out over the city, trying to calm down his raging temper. If he were to be honest with himself, he was more angry with Graham than Elizabeth. But because he didn't really have that much access to Graham he'd taken his anger out on the one person he did have access to. Although he hadn't expected her to throw her drinking glass at him.

Raphael smirked despite himself. Even though he didn't like the fact that she had thrown the glass at his face Elizabeth had proved she had more spirit than they'd given her credit for. Raphael liked that.

"Pizza?" Casey asked sliding a box of pizza between them.

Raphael shook his head and set down his empty beer can, he couldn't even think about eating right now.

When Leonardo had come after him to try and bring him home Raphael hadn't been in the mood to be talked down. He and his older brother had never really seen eye to eye on most things. It was one of the reasons they had clashed so much when they were teenagers. It had always irked Raphael that Leonardo had acted so superior and had always taken the lead. Raphael had often jerked Leonardo's chain – often getting his brother to respond, which satisfied Raphael to no end. But as they had grown older Leonardo had backed off a bit, giving Raphael more room to vent his anger and do his own thing. They had both learned that sometimes it was just best if they had their own space rather than forcing each other to be in the same proximity with the other while their tempers were so close to the breaking points. But today Leonardo had ignored those basic boundaries and had tried to force Raphael to come home – to fix things with Elizabeth.

Raphael wasn't proud of the fight he'd had with his brother – but at least it hadn't come to blows. But his words had been bad enough.

He sighed.

"Ya know, Raph, ya could just go home an' fix tings," Casey suggested as he helped himself to a slice of pizza. The cheese had started to congeal leaving a greasy layer on top of the pizza, leaving a residue on Casey's fingers.

Raphael's eyes narrowed. "I shouldn't have ta do dat, Casey! Why am I always da one dat has ta apologize?"

Casey opened up another beer and offered a second one to Raphael. He took it but just merely turned the can around in his fingers as he glared down at the cars racing down the busy street below.

"Look, Raph, I know dat learnin' 'bout 'Lizbeth's baby was a shock. But don't ya tink she 'ad her reasons fer not tellin' ya sooner?"

"She let dat guy do dat ta 'er!" Raphael snarled.

"Listen, I don't know dis Cooper guy personally – but I've 'eard 'is name on da streets lately. I don't tink 'Lizbeth knew what kind a guy he was before she married 'im. But once yer in with Cooper ya don't get out alive. Cooper has da whole city lookin' fer 'er, Raph. He has a big reward out fer her – I saw it in da newspapers dis mornin'. If ya let 'er go back ta 'im what do ya tink he's gonna do to 'er?"

"Den she shouldn't go back ta 'im!"

"Where else is she gonna go if ya force 'er out, Raph?"

Raphael growled low in his throat.

"She lied ta us! Why should we have ta be 'er keepers?"

"I don't tink she lied, Raph. Did she ever tell ya dat she wasn't pregnant?"

Raphael's sharp amber eyes flickered to Casey briefly then dropped towards his lap, resigned.

"Didn't ya say dat she kept flinchin' away from everyone? Dat da only one she seemed ta trust was you?"

Raphael didn't answer, but a muscle in his jaw twitched.

"Do ya really tink dat she was in any shape den ta tell ya dat she was pregnant? She was barely holdin' 'erself in one piece as it was. I tink da only reason she admitted da truth ta April was cause April guessed."

"So I'm just supposed ta ferget dat she kept dis from us? Dat she didn't trust us enough ta tell us da truth?"

"I tink she woulda told ya, Raph. But she was waitin' 'til she knew it was da right time. But would ya have felt any different 'bout da baby if 'Lizbeth had told ya sooner?"

Raphael had to think about that for a minute, and then his tense shoulders dropped.

Casey nodded in understanding. "Maybe dat's another reason she didn't tell ya, Raph. She didn't want ta hurt ya. An' maybe she was scared how ya'd feel 'bout it."

"What am I gonna do, Casey?"

Casey clapped a hand on Raphael's shoulder. "Yer da only one dat can answer dat, Raph. Da real question ya gotta ask yerself is – does dis change da way ya feel 'bout 'er?"

Raphael sighed. "I don't know."

"Dat's somethin' ya'd better figure out before ya go see 'er again," Casey suggested. "But I gotta tell ya, Raph – a girl like 'Lizbeth doesn't come 'round all dat often. When ya meet someone like dat ya'd be smart not ta let 'er go."

Raphael smirked. "Being married ta April is makin' ya soft, Casey."

Casey chuckled. "Just tink about it, Raph."

Casey stood up. "I gotta get back – April asked me ta go ta da doctor's with 'er in da mornin'."

Raphael glanced up at the sky and got to his feet himself. "Probably best dat I get home anyway. Leo's gonna have my shell as it is."

"Here," Casey said picking up the remaining beer and the pizza box. "Take dese with ya. Ya barely touched anyting ta night."

Raphael chuckled quietly. Casey smirked and turned to leave.

"Hey, Casey!"

Casey turned back.

"Tanks," Raphael said with a smirk.

"Dat's what friends are fer," Casey said then without another word he turned and headed for home, when he turned back to wave once again Raphael had already disappeared into the night, all the evidence that was left of his presence there was a single empty beer can rolling slowly across the rooftop, the silver glinting slightly in the artificial New York lights.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth wasn't sure what it was that had woken her – perhaps it was the sound of the lair door opening… or it was the change of atmosphere that had disturbed her. Either way she was a little confused to find herself in her bed. She couldn't remember lying down – in fact the last thing she remembered was trying to use the sheet to stop the flow of blood from her arm when she cut into it too deep with the shuriken she'd found in the dojo. But after that everything was a blank.<p>

She rolled her wrist and hissed as the tender flesh pulled underneath stiff bandages.

Donatello.

Crap.

She hadn't meant for the turtles to find her like that. She had always managed to hide her habit from Graham – of course he'd left enough scars on her body that he never noticed the pale thin lines on her arms. She only ever did it when he was at work, and because she normally wore long sleeve shirts – except for when she was in the bedroom with him – Graham had had no idea.

Elizabeth flexed her arm again, gingerly feeling the bandages under her fingers. She still felt a little light headed, and tired. She could still smell the rusty smell of her blood lingering in the room. She must still be in the bedroom then. She was surprised she hadn't been moved to the infirmary. She was sure she was in for a lecture – if not from Leonardo then definitely from Donatello. She was surprised that one or both of them weren't sitting there waiting for her to wake up.

As if reading her thoughts the door to her bedroom was pushed open a crack and the dark outline of a head appeared.

"'Lizbeth? Ya awake?"

"Raphael?" Elizabeth asked in surprise. He had been the last turtle she'd expected to see.

The door opened for a split second and then closed again. There was a slight whisper of sound, if Elizabeth hadn't been listening hard enough she never would have noticed it. But then the bed dipped underneath the turtle's weight as Raphael settled down onto the bed next to her hip.

"'Lizbeth, I wanted ta apologize ta ya," Raphael shifted a little on the bed, and Elizabeth felt her body slide a little on the mattress until her hip rested against Raphael's leg. She felt her breath catch in her throat. "I shouldn't have gone off on ya like dat."

"Raph… "

"I shoulda heard ya out," Raphael interrupted, cutting her off.

"Raph, I should have told you guys sooner. And it should have been me – not April who told you," Elizabeth reached out and found his hand, but he pulled it away from her. She felt heat flood her cheeks and was secretly glad that Raphael couldn't see her embarrassment.

"Ya had yer reasons," Raphael said quietly.

"Raph, the reason I didn't say anything… " Elizabeth hesitated biting her lip when she felt Raphael stiffen next to her. "This isn't my first pregnancy, Raph. I… I lost the first baby and I've been spotting a lot lately, I had it with the last pregnancy and I wasn't sure if I'd keep it. And I… I was afraid you guys would make me leave if you knew. I haven't felt this safe in a long time and I didn't want to lose that."

Elizabeth's voice cracked and tears ran down her cheeks. She wiped them away impatiently, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

Raphael didn't say anything for a few minutes, which gave Elizabeth a chance to compose herself.

"'Lizbeth, I might not 'ave been happy 'bout da baby – but I didn't mean da tings I said ta ya earlier. I don't want ya ta leave. And ya know we wouldn't let nothin' happen ta ya."

"It's my fault though – you were right. I put you and your family in danger. I should have just gone to the hospital after you saved me. If I had nothing would have happened to Donny – I never would have gotten you guys into trouble and you never would have been on Graham's radar. If I hadn't been so afraid of what he'd do when he found out that I'd gone out without… mmmph… "

Elizabeth was surprised to find a large leathery hand suddenly pressing over her mouth, stopping her apology.

"It ain't yer fault, 'Lizbeth," Raphael snarled in a tone that made goose bumps pop up on Elizabeth's arms. "I never shoulda said dem tings ta ya. Ya didn't do nothin' – ya didn't do nothin' ta put us in danger. And we've gotten outta worse tings. It wouldn't be da first time someone wanted ta kill us – we woulda gotten Donny outta der without ya havin' ta put yerself in danger. Ya were willin' ta risk yer life ta save my bro – ya didn't have ta do dat. But ya didn't want Donny ta get hurt. If dat don't prove what kind a person ya are I don't know what does." Raphael removed his hand from Elizabeth's mouth. "Don't apologize it wasn't anyting ya did."

"I never meant to hurt you though, Raph," Elizabeth whispered as she played with the edge of her comforter. A large leathery hand grabbed hers and held it gently.

"Ya didn't – and... I'm sorry," Raphael insisted.

Elizabeth felt her heart pick up a pace as Raphael's large hand swallowed her own in his firm grasp. She'd never felt more safe than she did when she was with Raphael. There was just something about him that instantly made her feel secure. Something that she didn't feel with any of the others – not even Leonardo. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew she liked it.

And suddenly nothing else mattered, not her fear of Graham, or the unwanted baby, or her aching torn skin underneath the rough bandages. All that mattered was that Raphael was holding her hand.

She didn't know what came over her but the next thing she was aware of she was suddenly sitting upright and had thrown herself at Raphael, pressing her lips against his beak. She could feel his surprise and shock, not expecting her to lunge at him – let alone kiss him. He stiffened, his muscles tensing as if he were ready to pull away.

Elizabeth pulled back slightly. Embarrassment and rejection warring for supremacy in her body. What had come over her? What had made her think that Raphael felt the same way about her that she had felt for him for a while now?

And then Raphael's strong large hands were cupping her face and his beak was pressed against her mouth, his fingers tugging at a few locks of her hair, securing her to him. Elizabeth felt her embarrassment disappear and rejection was replaced with lust as she responded willingly but let him keep in control of the kiss.

He was gentle at first, but when he felt her responding to him his kiss became deeper, more forceful. Elizabeth's blood began to race through her veins and she wrapped her arms around Raphael's neck, trying to pull him as close to her as possible, pulling him on top of her as she settled back against the pillows. Raphael seemed to follow her willingly enough, breaking the kiss after a long minute, his breath hot and heavy against her face. His fingers gently ran over her face in the dark as if he were trying to commit every feature to memory. Elizabeth smiled as his fingers reached her lips, lingering there. She stared up at his face and even though the light was almost none existent Elizabeth could still see those strange amber eyes now, they were burning with a fiery glow that she was sure she'd never seen in them before. She felt a familiar warm burning in her gut as Raphael leaned down and kissed her again, more gently this time, though his fingers still tugged at her tangled hair. Elizabeth pressed her body against his, her fingers running up and down his plastron, grinning when she felt him shudder in pleasure when her fingers found a sensitive spot in between his plastron and carapace.

Raphael broke the kiss and held himself away from her a little bit, staring at her with a curious expression, his eyes watching her carefully.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked, suddenly worried she'd done something wrong.

"I just never… well, it was hard ta imagine dat dis would ever happen ta me – or any of us. But now dat it is… I always want ta remember it."

Elizabeth reached up, crossing her arms over his neck and pulling him down again. "Stay with me tonight, Raphael. I don't want to be alone."

Raphael gently kissed her again. "Only if ya want me ta stay, 'Lizbeth."

Elizabeth kissed him back eagerly. "I wouldn't want anyone else, Raph."

Grinning Raphael leaned forward and kissed her again.

* * *

><p>Raphael discovered two things. One: mornings came way too early and whoever invented any hour before nine o'clock should be dragged out into the street and shot. And two: you got no peace and quiet down on the main level of the lair. He wasn't sure how Elizabeth got any sleep.<p>

He was first awoken by the sounds of Leo training in the dojo right at six o'clock sharp. Raphael had groaned to himself and had tried to roll over, but then had discovered that Elizabeth had curled herself up against his plastron, her head resting on his arm just below his shoulder. Raphael had stared at her quietly for several minutes, longing to run his fingers through her long brown hair but unwilling to wake her. Finally sleep had claimed him again but he had the feeling that he wasn't asleep for very long when once again his slumber was disturbed – this time by Michelangelo. Pots and pans were banging around in the kitchen as the orange-banded turtle prepared breakfast. Raphael was getting a bit sick of his brothers waking him – although he had to remind himself that they didn't even know he was in here.

Elizabeth hadn't been curled up against him anymore. Instead she was on the other side of the bed, the blankets pulled tightly over her shoulders, her breathing still deep and even with sleep. And then, as if sensing his eyes on her Elizabeth rolled onto her back, her neck turning slightly on the pillow so she was facing him again, though she still remained asleep. After a few minutes her eyes flickered and then opened slowly. She smiled when she saw Raphael staring at her in the dimly lit room.

"Morning."

"Mornin'," Raphael returned the greeting.

"What time is it?" Elizabeth asked, sitting up slowly, stretching her arms over her head and yawning.

"Probably round eight. Mikey's in der cookin' breakfast," Raphael nodded towards the still closed bedroom door. He then rolled out of the bed and watched as Elizabeth copied him, walked to the dresser and pulled out a sky blue spaghetti strap. Her long brown hair, tangled and messy from the night before, was limp against her back. Raphael looked away when Elizabeth pulled off her night shirt and pulled on her spaghetti strap.

"Raph?"

Raphael turned back to her. Elizabeth was running a brush through her tangled hair, staring at her reflection in the mirror. He frowned, his eyes narrowing when he saw the stark white bandages on her arms.

"Mmm?"

Elizabeth ran the brush through her hair a few more times, tugging out the last of the tangles. "About last night… you aren't sorry about it. Are you?" She twisted her hair up on the back of her head and reached for a clip.

A strong green hand caught her hand, stopping her. Startled Elizabeth's other hand let her hair fall again. She lifted her eyes to meet Raphael's hard stare in the mirror. They were burning but his expression was soft.

"I ain't sorry, 'Lizbeth. Not unless you are."

Elizabeth turned around so she could face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, taking a step closer to him, breathing deeply, absorbing his unique scent, committing it to memory. Raphael let his own arms come around her, gently caressing her back, sending warm sparks of pleasure up and down her spine. She shivered and pressed herself closer to him, her fingers tickling the back of his neck. She tilted her head up, meeting his gaze steadily.

"I'm not sorry, Raphael. I've never… I really like being with you."

Raphael held her tighter, as if he were trying to pull her into his shell with him. He found himself getting lost in Elizabeth's eyes – so different from any eyes he'd ever seen before. There was such depth to Elizabeth's eyes, they were the windows to her soul. He'd never really seen that until now, they'd been closed to him until now – but now that he could see them clearly he felt as if he could stare into her eyes forever.

Elizabeth smiled at him and pulled his face closer to hers, then hesitated, waiting for him. Raphael didn't hesitate, he brought his mouth to hers, enjoying the way her lips were so soft against his mouth, the way she responded to him. She was so soft, so warm. He found himself lost in the kiss, he'd never experienced anything like what he'd experienced with Elizabeth, he'd never expected to feel this way about anyone except for his family. To find himself actually wanting someone the way he wanted Elizabeth was so new to him. But from the way she was holding onto him, the way her fingers dug into his tough reptilian skin he knew that she wanted him too.

Raphael was the first to pull away, but he didn't release his hold on Elizabeth. "I gotta go talk ta Leo."

Elizabeth's lower lip poked out as she pouted a little. "Something wrong?"

"It ain't nothin' big," Raphael reassured her. "But breakfast will be done soon anyway."

Elizabeth chuckled as her stomach rumbled. "That actually sounds really good too."

Raphael laughed quietly.

Elizabeth's fingers trailed over Raphael's neck again gently. "Do we really have to go right now though?"

Raphael's body shuddered in pleasure and a warmth spread in his gut. He gently pulled Elizabeth's arms from around his neck. "Dey are gonna be wonderin' where I am since I ain't in my room."

Elizabeth looked down at her silk shorts. "Guess I'd better finish getting ready then, huh?"

She leaned up and gave him another quick kiss, but to her surprise Raphael once again crushed her to him, kissing her deeply, sending her head spinning. She gasped when he finally released her and smirked as she stared at him in awe.

"I'll see ya at breakfast," Raphael said his smirk widening.

"Ok," Elizabeth said breathlessly. Raphael turned and walked towards the door. Elizabeth returned to the mirror once again reaching for her hair clip. But to her surprise she found Raphael stopping her once again. She looked up at him in surprise. How had he crossed the room so fast?

"I like it down," Raphael whispered, running his fingers through her long brown hair, wrapping the ends around his fingers and giving them a gentle pull. Elizabeth felt goose bumps of pleasure rising on her neck as he gently kissed her again.

And then he was gone, like a whisper of wind – there one minute and then gone without a trace the next. Elizabeth turned, astonished as the bedroom door closed with a soft click.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I'm back. A lot fast than I thought I would be and with a longer chapter to boot. LOL. Didn't have much else to do over my long weekend since my mom insisted I rest since I look white enough to be a ghost. Ugh... but there's one nice thing about being on bed rest for three days with low blood counts... even though it doesn't feel awesome it gave me lots of time to work on the next chapter. :D Can't promise that the next chapter will be so fast in coming it is back to work for me tomorrow. But I promise I'll work on the next chapter as soon as I can. Thank you again to those who review I really appreciate it guys I love hearing what everyone thinks enjoy the next chapter and I'll see you next time. **

**Ohayō gozaimasu - Good Morning**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

Elizabeth stepped into the kitchen to see Michelangelo hard at work, and a rather droopy-eyed Donatello nursing a cup of coffee. Elizabeth stifled a laugh, she was sure that Donatello was still on his first cup of coffee because he rarely perked up until he was halfway through his second.

Michelangelo, obviously hearing her approach, looked up and grinned at her as Elizabeth made her way into the kitchen. "Hey, Elizabeth. You hungry?"

Elizabeth nodded, her grin matching Michelangelo's. "Want some help?"

"You should take it easy on those wrists today, Elizabeth," Donatello warned as he peered at her over his cup of coffee. "You lost a good bit of blood last night at those wounds are more than skin deep."

"Why don't you just take these over to the table – and grab Donny another cup of coffee," Michelangelo suggested handing Elizabeth a plate of toast and the coffee pot with hot coffee.

Elizabeth did so without argument before taking a seat across from Donatello. She fidgeted on her chair, clearly uncomfortable. If Donatello noticed he didn't say anything.

"Is Raph up yet, Donny?"

Donatello shrugged. "I didn't even hear him come in last night."

"He's up, Mikey," Elizabeth blushed when both brothers turned on her in surprise. "I passed him on my way in here he said he needed to talk to Leo."

Neither brother really seemed surprised by this, and Elizabeth had the feeling that although Raph and Leo seemed to clash quite often it had become so routine around here that Mikey and Donny were no longer bothered by it. They almost seemed to accept it as part of their lives.

Although Elizabeth had to admit that it must be a strain for the brothers to be so cooped up together all the time. Their relationship was unlike anything she'd ever seen in the dynamics of family before. She'd seen families where siblings were close to each other – but these brothers definitely took the prize for close sibling relationships. She supposed it had something to do with them being so… different. But still they were all so different from each other it was a surprise that they didn't get into fights more frequently. But even still – it usually seemed to be Leo and Raph that would have a go at each other.

Elizabeth wasn't stupid. She'd been around these guys long enough to know that Leo was the turtle who liked order and discipline. He liked to have things in routine – to have his brothers follow what they were told to do without question. Raph, however, was a rebel. He liked being out on his own, he liked being a lone wolf. Raph was the turtle that would search out a fight, not because it was necessary, but because he lived for it. Even when he was home he was often in the dojo working his punching bag. Not that Elizabeth had really sat down to watch him, but she'd heard his heavy breathing and the unmistakable sounds of fists hitting padding as Raphael threw punch after punch into the worn old punching bag. Donatello seemed the least likely of the four of them to want to fight; in fact he seemed almost reluctant to fight. Opting to do so only if he had no other choice. He was a quiet turtle who very much preferred to being in his lab studying new specimens and building new gadgets than practicing in the dojo. And then there was Mikey. Mikey didn't seem anymore eager to fight than Donny did but he did seem to have a natural talent for it. Elizabeth had seen the way Michelangelo had moved around the lair, he was graceful in his movements, his body curving and arcing in ways that she wouldn't have thought possible for a five foot tall, two hundred pound turtle could do. But even now as he made his way to the table with breakfast dishes his steps were smooth and steady. The multiple dishes in his hands didn't even wobble as he began to place them one by one on the worn tabletop.

The soft scratching of claws and the unmistakable sound of wood clicking on concrete announced Splinter's arrival. The old rat seemed to be leaning more heavily on his walking stick than normal, but his smile was warm as he met all three of their eyes.

"Ohayō gozaimasu," Michelangelo and Donatello greeted the old rat, bowing respectfully as Splinter took a seat.

"Good morning, my sons," Splinter returned. He turned his dark eyes on Elizabeth and his whiskers twitched a little. "Are you feeling better this morning, Miss Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth could feel her cheeks go a little pink. From the way Splinter was staring at her she had a feeling he was not at all pleased with what she had done the night before. "I'm fine, thank you."

Splinter watched her quietly for a moment before he turned to Donatello. "Where are your brothers?"

"Raph's talking to Leo," Michelangelo quickly provided putting large spoons into the heaping bowls of scrambled eggs and fried potatoes then sat down and stuck his fork into the heaping plate of large brown pancakes.

Elizabeth's stomach growled.

"Michelangelo," Splinter chided. "You should wait for your brothers."

"But I'm hungry!" Michelangelo pouted staring at the table covered with food.

Splinter cocked an eyebrow at him and Michelangelo slumped back in his seat, pouting as he stared longing at the food. Elizabeth barely suppressed a smirk.

Donatello helped himself to more coffee and Splinter's ears twitched on his head, as if he could hear low voices murmuring from far away. His dark eyes were fastened on Elizabeth once again, his long pink tail twitched and slapped gently against the floor. Elizabeth felt heat in her cheeks. What was it that Splinter was hearing? Was Raph telling Leo that he'd spent the night with her? How would Leo feel about that? Would he be angry? Would he want her to leave?

"Miss Elizabeth?" Splinter said suddenly breaking the silence. Elizabeth reluctantly met those strange dark eyes of his. "Would you please join me for a few minutes?" Splinter, using his walking stick got stiffly to his feet.

Donatello and Michelangelo's eyes were both on her now. Elizabeth felt heat spread throughout her whole face and was sure she was a bright red, but she nodded and followed Splinter out of the kitchen.

He led her to a paper rice door, slid it opened and gestured her inside. The room wasn't small but it didn't look like Splinter had done much to spruce it up. There were a few simple things here and there. A few tatami mats sat in one corner and there was a rather long shelf with some tired looking old candles and a few incense sticks. The room had the lingering smell of both, it made it rather pleasant and Elizabeth was surprised at how well the melted wax and incense smells seemed to blend together. Splinter gestured for her to take the smaller of the tatami mats as he knelt on the larger one. Elizabeth wasn't sure if she was supposed to sit or kneel – she wasn't sure how Japanese customs worked so she opted for kneeling before the aged rat.

Splinter said nothing for a few minutes, but instead he sat like that his hands on his knees, his walking stick resting against the length of his leg. His ears were back against his head, his eyes were closed. Finally he looked up at her again, his eyes were so piercing she was sure that he could see right into her soul.

"I trust that you have found your stay with us most comfortable, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth was surprised. She didn't understand why Splinter would want to know about how she had felt about her stay here. Nonetheless she nodded. "Your family has been most hospitable, Splinter."

Splinter nodded, though his whiskers did twitch a bit when she said his name so casually. Still Elizabeth didn't see why she would call him Master Splinter – he wasn't her master at all. He wasn't teaching her anything. He was obviously the head of the house, but from the way Leonardo always took command she had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before Splinter handed that role over to Leonardo for good. She swallowed hard as Splinter again seemed to stare right through her for several long minutes.

"I must voice my concerns on a certain matter, Elizabeth," Splinter finally spoke, though his tone was gentle Elizabeth felt her insides coiling, waiting for the blow she had feared would come. "I have seen the way my son Raphael looks at you, and I have seen the way you have looked at him… " He paused then giving her a look at made Elizabeth feel very self conscious. "But I have also seen the way that some things beyond both of your control has been hurtful and the consequences of what will happen to you both if things continue on the path they are heading towards."

"Sir?" Elizabeth asked meekly, not really sure what else to call him. It was the highest form of respect she was positive she could give him. But still she was scared of him answering. Was he telling her not to see his son anymore? That it would be unwise of her to act on the feelings she had for Raphael?

"I know Raphael spent the night with you last night, Miss Elizabeth," Splinter said gently, his tail twitched against the hard floor. Elizabeth blushed.

"Sir, we… we didn't do anything like… I mean we didn't… "

Splinter didn't need to her explain. "I know you were not engaged in physical love, but I can still smell my son on you. As I'm sure his brothers will pick that up on him as well." His face softened then and he smiled a little. "You have a very floral smell that makes it hard to miss."

Elizabeth's blush deepened.

Splinter sighed. "With the way our lives have been, with how we live, and what we are I never thought my sons would find someone… that they would have the opportunity to be with someone the way my son wishes to be with you," Splinter continued gently. "But I fear, Miss Elizabeth, that your wants and desires may not always be in harmony with what Raphael needs. We will never be able to live on the surface and I fear for when the time comes and you are ready to have this child that you will realize that you want something better for him. That you will feel like this isn't the best place to raise him. And when that time comes, what it will do to my son when you leave."

Elizabeth swallowed hard, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. "I… I'm not so sure I want to keep this baby, Splinter. I had considered giving him up for adoption when he's born."

"You feel that now, Elizabeth – but how do you know that you will not change your mind? That after caring for and carrying the child for nine months you will simply give it away?"

Elizabeth shook her head as the tears ran down her cheeks. "I never wanted a baby – not with him."

Splinter sighed quietly. "I know you do not wish to have ties to your husband, Miss Elizabeth, but this baby is already growing inside you. You need to decide what is best for you and for my son. If you feel like you must leave to raise this child then you must do so before the bond before you and Raphael strengthens. I do not wish to hurt you, child," He added seeing Elizabeth's tears. "But I do not wish to see Raphael hurt either."

"If I… " Elizabeth hesitated and tried to wipe away a few tears but more quickly replaced them. "If I wanted to stay here with Raphael?"

Splinter was quiet for a couple minutes. "A father's greatest desire is to see his sons happy. But you need to be sure that this is what you want, Miss Elizabeth, because if you decide to stay you will have to realize that your life will change. We cannot live amongst the humans and I think it would be a greater sacrifice than you think having to stay underground all the time. Consider carefully, child. But don't take too long in deciding if you know you cannot stay."

Elizabeth nodded mutely and wiped away the tears again. Splinter reached forward and cupped Elizabeth's chin in his warm hand.

"Miss Elizabeth, I am so happy that my son found you. I have never seen him more happy than he was this morning. You have brought a light into his life that none of us could ever fill before. And it pleases me that you return the feelings he has for you. But you have another life to think about besides your own and that is the only obstacle that really stands between you."

"Splinter, if I… I love him."

"I know you do, Miss Elizabeth."

Elizabeth met his eyes blinking away more tears. "What should I do?"

"You are the only one that can answer that question. That is a decision that you, and you alone, have to make."

"I don't want to hurt him – I don't want to leave."

"Perhaps this is something you should meditate on. You will find the right answer in your heart."

Elizabeth nodded.

"Now," Splinter said in a lighter tone. "I believe the others are waiting for us." He picked up his stick and stiffly got to his feet. Elizabeth too rose a bit stiffly and followed Splinter out of the room, she no longer felt hungry but a sharp pain had erupted in her gut, turning them around, filling her whole chest with the agony as Splinter's words echoed around inside her head. It was her decision, and only hers to make. But would she make the right one for herself and for her baby?

All four of the turtles were at the table when Elizabeth and Splinter rejoined them. Leonardo was sitting next to Donatello and his eyes narrowed fractionally when Elizabeth joined them, but it wasn't a look of anger or disgust. More of a look of worry and as his eyes darted to where Raphael sat on her other side Elizabeth knew that Leonardo had, as Splinter had told her he would, picked up Elizabeth's scent on his brother. He knew something had happened between them and like Splinter he was worried about what would happen to his brother if Elizabeth left.

"Pancakes?" Raphael asked offering her the plate. Elizabeth took one and passed the plate to Michelangelo who passed it to Splinter. Elizabeth stared at the perfectly browned pancake, no longer feeling like she could make it go down.

She used the side of her fork to cut off a small piece and put it in her mouth. It tasted like cotton, dry in her throat, almost impossible to swallow. She forced it down anyway, ignoring the concerned looks she was getting from Raphael and Donatello.

She wasn't aware of the awkward breakfast conversations or how all of the turtles kept giving her worried glances as she played with her pancake but didn't eat anymore. And when the others had finished Elizabeth took the opportunity to slip out of the kitchen and disappeared into her room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth wasn't sure how long she was sitting on her bed, her legs curled up against her chest, her chin resting on her knees, before someone rapped quietly against the door.<p>

"'Lizbeth? Ya ok?"

Elizabeth sniffed and wiped away the tears that were on her cheeks. "I'm fine," she choked.

There was a pause on the other side of the door then Raphael knocked again. "Can I come?"

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut and more tears tracked down her cheeks. She wasn't sure if she could bear being close to Raphael right now – not when she had to decide whether she had to leave him or not. Not if she knew that she might have to hurt him. Even just the thought of leaving him made her heart ache so bad she was sure the pain of it would kill her.

"'Lizbeth? Ya sure yer ok? Should I get Donny?"

"No," Elizabeth said sniffling a little. "I'm fine."

"Den can I come in?"

She knew to deny him entrance would just lead to suspicions and he would get his brother despite her claims that she was fine. "Come on in," She finally said quietly. She wasn't sure if Raphael heard her at first but then the door opened and Raphael stepped inside.

He closed the door behind him and stared at her critically. His amber eyes searched her face, no doubt finding her red eyes and pink nose from the many times she'd rubbed it.

He was next to her on the bed in an instant, and Elizabeth once again found herself breathless with shock at how fast these guys could really move. Whoever thought that a turtle couldn't move fast?

"What's wrong 'Lizbeth? What happened? Is it da baby?" Raphael gently pressed a hand against her stomach. His large hand was warm and comforting, such strength penetrating from that simple motion that Elizabeth's insides hurt. She looked up into Raphael's concerned amber eyes.

"The baby's fine, Raph," Elizabeth assured him.

"Are ya feelin' sick again? Ya hardly ate anyting at breakfast," Raphael's hand moved from her stomach to her face, caressing her forehead and then cupping her cheek. Elizabeth closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, a few tears escaping from her closed eyelids.

"I tink I should get Donny," Raphael said starting to rise but Elizabeth clutched at his hand, keeping it pressed against her cheek.

"Please," Elizabeth whispered her eyes wide and pleading. "Don't leave me."

Raphael sat down again, concern filling his amber eyes. "'Lizbeth, ya don't look like yer feelin' dat great. I really tink Donny should look at ya."

Elizabeth gulped and moved her hands up Raphael's muscular arms until she was able to get her arms around his neck. She pulled herself against him, turning her head sideways against his plastron, listening to the steady thud thud of his heart.

Raphael automatically wrapped his arms around her back, though a little awkwardly at first. After a minute or so he seemed to relax into the embrace, his fingers tugging and pulling gently at the ends of her hair.

Elizabeth pulled back a little, looking up at his face. "Kiss me," she pleaded.

Raphael frowned, something didn't feel right to him. "'Lizbeth… what?"

"Just kiss me," Elizabeth begged, pulling on his neck a little to make him lower his face closer to hers. Raphael gently kissed her.

Elizabeth could feel his confusion, his mind clearly not comprehending what was bothering her. Elizabeth threw herself into the kiss, pulling him tighter against her, and was delighted when he responded, his much harder mouth working against hers, she felt him press harder and his mouth opened a bit forcing hers to do the same. His hot breath filled her mouth, she found herself craving more, her body was pressing itself tighter against his, her spaghetti strap and loose blue jeans were suddenly too confining. She wanted to feel him against her. Her body bucked a little as his hand ran down her spine and found the sensitive part on her back. She gasped, pulling away from the kiss and staring at him with wide eyes.

He blinked at her, confused at her reaction to his touch. Elizabeth stared back, losing herself in those strange amber eyes of his. She'd never seen anything like them, or him for that matter. He was so different from Graham, he was much harder, his plastron hard and firm against her body, his hold so much stronger around her than Graham's had ever been, and yet she wasn't scared of those bulging muscles or the way he could easily pin her against him. There was no anger behind his touches, no intent of pain. For as large as he was and as clumsy as those three fingered hands looked they were incredibly gentle. Raphael stroked her cheek.

"Ya ok?"

Elizabeth gently held his wrist, although she still found the leather bands on his wrists and elbows strange, she had come to the conclusion that they were just a part of who these guys were. The leather was softer than Raphael's skin but it had obviously faded with age. Elizabeth turned her head and gently kissed each of Raphael's fingers.

Raphael watched her, a bit bemused but when she met his gaze again he found himself mesmerizing every inch of her face. She was so beautiful, the way her dark hair curtained her face, her skin a creamy white with her cheeks a rosy pink. Her lips were a little red and a bit swollen from his hungry kiss, he rubbed his thumb against them gently. Elizabeth's deep green eyes closed in pleasure and her hot breath caressed his skin. He felt something burning in his gut, something he'd never felt with anyone else. He leaned down and pulled her in for another hungry kiss.

Elizabeth responded willingly, her soft body meshing against his plastron. Her fingers trailed against the back of his neck and slid down his shell, fingering the patterning there.

Raphael pulled back. "'Lizbeth, I… I don't tink we should do dis now."

Elizabeth's brows furrowed. "Why not? Don't you want to?" Her lip trembled a little and hurt colored her eyes.

"More den anyting," Raphael said rubbing his thumb against her soft throat. "But da others are just in da other room."

Elizabeth's cheeks quickly flooded with red in her embarrassment.

"I tink ya should try ta eat somethin' more den what ya had. Ya barely touched yer breakfast," Raphael said gently.

Elizabeth's stomach, forgotten in the passion of her kiss, once again started to protest its emptiness. And suddenly the pain of her empty stomach was overwhelming.

"Excuse me," Elizabeth said quickly, she pushed Raphael's hand aside and bolted from the room, dashing for the bathroom with her hand clamped over her mouth. However, to her dismay, she found the bathroom door shut and locked. Desperately she lurched towards the kitchen just barely making it to the sink in time to dry heave violently over the basin. Thankfully she didn't have anything she could really bring up, but the acidic taste in her mouth and throat made her gag.

She heard someone come up from behind and gently pull her hair away from her face, another hand rubbing her back gently.

"Ya sure ya don't want me ta get, Donny?" Raphael asked again.

Elizabeth shook her head, blinking her eyes and trying to ignore the tears that trickled down her cheeks. She was sure she was done, her stomach seemed to have settled a little now. She turned on the sink and splashed the cool water against her face then rinsed the acidic taste out of her mouth.

"Ya want ta try an' eat somethin'?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly. She allowed Raphael to help her over to the table where she sat down, holding her head in her hands. She could hear Raphael moving around the kitchen – she had no idea that he was any good as a chef. She'd only ever seen Michelangelo preparing the meals. But in a few minutes Raphael slid a plate with a sandwich on it in front of her. He then walked to the fridge and pulled out a soda.

"I ain't da gourmet dat Mikey is – but it's more edible den what Leo makes," Raphael said with a grin as he sat down next to her.

"Leo's cooking isn't fatal," Elizabeth said quietly as she picked up the sandwich.

"Dat's cause he's only cooked fer ya once – and he got lucky. He usually burns everyting," Raphael said with a laugh.

Elizabeth shook her head and took a bite of the sandwich. Ham, lettuce, and tomato. Her mouth watered as she chewed and swallowed quickly.

"Here," Raphael said popping the lid on the soda. "It'll help settle yer stomach. I asked Donny – he said it should be fine with da baby."

Elizabeth took a sip and to her surprise felt her stomach settling as the cool liquid settled in her gut.

Raphael watched while Elizabeth ate her sandwich. When she was finished, and to her surprise, he produced another one. Elizabeth ate that one too, surprised by how hungry she was. By the time she'd finished her second sandwich and her soda her stomach had settled.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said as Raphael gathered up the plate and empty soda can.

Raphael grinned at her. "Glad ya finally ate somethin'. Ya got more color in yer cheeks now – ya don't look so pale."

Elizabeth felt embarrassed she had no doubt that her blood sugar was low what with her little selfish act last night backfiring on her and the blood loss – mix that in with the baby and she was surprised that she wasn't on an IV drip in a hospital right now.

"Da nausea gone?"

"Yeah it is, thank you, Raph. It tasted really good."

Raphael snorted but looked a little pleased that she had enjoyed it. "I'm sure Mikey coulda fixed ya up someting better but yer welcome."

He placed the plate in the sink and tossed the soda can into the garbage, Elizabeth wasn't surprised when he nailed his target, the aluminum can settling into the trash with a soft clink.

"Well," Raphael said turning back to her. "Time fer us ta get in our mornin' trainin' session."

"Oh," Elizabeth said a little awkwardly. "Oh – ok."

Raphael frowned watching her carefully for a minute. "Ya can watch if ya want."

Elizabeth's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Raphael shrugged and he walked over to help her up from her chair. He leaned in close and gave her a small peck on the forehead. "'S long as ya don't try ta kiss me in da middle of my sparrin' session with 'fearless'," he said with a grin.

Elizabeth laughed. "I'll be good."

"Come on den," Raphael said gripping her hand and leading her towards the dojo. Elizabeth squeezed his hand gently and Raphael grinned squeezing it back gently in return.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth had never seen anything like what the turtles did before. Raphael had led her to the bench just inside the door and motioned for her to stay there. Elizabeth had seen Michelangelo's wide grin when he'd seen Raphael holding her hand. Donatello had looked mildly bemused, but Leonardo once again looked worried. Elizabeth had tried to put that aside. She really liked Leonardo, but what she had going on between Raphael was something she had to decide on. Splinter had made it clear to her that if she wanted to go back to the surface she'd have to do it soon before things escalated too far between her and Raphael, but he had said the decision was up to her. She knew that if she decided to stay here that she'd be more than welcome to stay. She knew that was the only thing that was really bothering Leonardo, but he couldn't make up her mind for her – and he certainly couldn't change the way she felt about his brother. Elizabeth settled back on the bench and watched as the four turtles began to run through a routine Elizabeth was sure they'd been doing for years.<p>

Splinter had come in and had nodded for Leonardo to go ahead and begin. Leonardo had instructed his brothers to begin with their katas. Whatever a kata was. Elizabeth figured it probably meant complicated stretches because that is what the four of them started to do. They seemed easy at first but progressively got more complicated. Elizabeth was fascinated. All four of them moved so gracefully – but if she were to pick out the most graceful of all four she would have to admit to it being Leonardo. The way he moved his body was incredible, one fluid motion, the moves practiced throughout the years had clearly shown in his moves. But after Leonardo she would have to say Raphael came in at a close second. Raphael was very in tune with his body, and although his moves might not have been as graceful as his brother's they were more powerful. Elizabeth could see the difference between the way Leonardo and Raphael moved, Leonardo focused on execution while Raphael focused on strength.

Michelangelo, however, didn't seem to be focused on doing his katas. Instead he was purposefully messing up, pretending to trip over Donatello's foot or to slip. When Splinter cleared his throat after Michelangelo's third "mistake" he looked sheepishly at both Splinter and Leonardo and then focused on his training instead of trying to make Elizabeth laugh.

After the turtles had gone through their katas they split up into pairs, Donatello with Leonardo and Michelangelo with Raphael.

Elizabeth's eyes had widened when she'd seen the brothers pull their weapons on each other, but a warm hand had touched her knee. Startled she turned to look at Splinter wide-eyed.

"Do not fear for them, Miss Elizabeth," Splinter said gently as his sons began to spar. "They are trained well enough that they will not hurt each other."

Elizabeth nodded and turned back to the sparring match, watching Raphael and Michelangelo circle around each other.

Michelangelo's muscular arms were working his weapons… what looked like two pieces of wood connected by a small metal chain. He spun them around in circles so fast the ends of them were a blur. Raphael on the other hand had strange prong like swords. She seen pictures of them before and she was sure she'd seen them in a couple movies. What were they called? She bit her lip trying to remember their name while she watched Raphael spin them around in his hands expertly, his large fingers gripping them between the prongs as he flicked them a little and gestured with his brother, as if irking him on. Michelangelo grinned.

Raphael was the first to make his move he jabbed in to the left, using the butt end of his weapon instead of the sharp tips to try and hit Michelangelo in the side. But Michelangelo was too quick. He darted off to the side laughing a little, while Raphael growled and readjusted his grip on his weapons, his fingers curling around the handles now, his eyes narrowing dangerously and a vein on the top of his head bulging a little.

"Gonna have to be faster than that if you want to impress your girlfriend over there, Raph," Michelangelo teased with a smirk.

Growling Raphael struck out with a side kick that landed right in the middle of Michelangelo's plastron, making him fly across the room and hit the wall. Shocked Elizabeth started to get up, but a hand once again stopped her. She turned worried eyes to Splinter but he just shook his head.

"He is fine, Miss Elizabeth."

And indeed Michelangelo was getting to his feet. He picked up his weapons and he and Raphael once again started circling each other.

"Distraction is not always your best weapon, Michelangelo," Splinter called to his youngest son. "You must always be aware of your opponent's focus."

Michelangelo wiped a hand across his forehead and crouched a little bit as he and Raphael continued to circle each other. Raphael feigned a strike to Michelangelo's left but Michelangelo didn't fall for it. His bright blue eyes were focused solely on his brother now, realizing that Raphael wasn't past kicking his shell if he tried to embarrass him in front of Elizabeth.

Elizabeth watched wide-eyed as the turtles sparring match intensified. Michelangelo and Raphael went from feigning attacks to real attacks their weapons darting in and out. Sometimes they missed - but other times they didn't. Elizabeth winced when Michelangelo's weapons cracked against Raphael's shell. She had no doubt that if that had hit on flesh it would have hurt. Raphael retaliated the next time by catching the chains of Mikey's weapons with the prongs of those sword things he had and managed to tear them right out of Michelangelo's grip. He tossed them across the room and then had swiftly applied a roundhouse kick. Michelangelo managed to dodge the worst of the kick but Elizabeth still saw him wince when Raphael's leg connected with his side, the one place not protected by his shell.

When Raphael went to attack again Michelangelo dropped almost all the way to the ground, swung his leg around and then rolled away as Raphael jumped away to avoid having his legs knocked out from under him. Michelangelo scooped up his weapons and turned to face his brother again, his weapons once again whistling in his grip. He struck out at Raphael, but this time Raphael wasn't fast enough to block the blow. The blunt end of Michelangelo's weapons connected with Raphael's arm with a sound loud enough to be heard over Leonardo and Donatello's sparring.

The room was silent and still at once. Raphael gripped his arm where Michelangelo's weapon had hit it. Donatello was at his side immediately pulling at his brother's hand so he could try and see but Raphael shrugged him off.

"I'm fine, Donny."

"Are you sure, Raph?" Donatello asked, his eye ridges narrowing as he studied his brother carefully.

"Raphy, I'm sorry I didn't mean to hit you so hard," Michelangelo looked horrified.

"I think that will do for now, my sons," Splinter cut in. "Michelangelo, I would like to speak to you for a moment."

"Yes, Master Splinter," Michelangelo said he turned back to his brother. "Raph, really – I didn't mean to… "

"I'm fine, Mikey," Raphael growled. He picked up the weapon he'd dropped when Michelangelo had struck him and slid it back into his belt he had tied around his waist. He shook off Donatello again and headed for Elizabeth who was shifting her weight from foot to foot watching him anxiously.

Splinter and Michelangelo left the dojo and headed for Splinter's quarters. Donatello shook his head and slid his bo staff into its place on his back and headed for his lab. Leonardo, however, began a complicated set of katas once again, this time using his swords.

"Come on, 'Lizbeth – Leo always does a little extra trainin' after we're done and he don't like bein' disturbed."

Elizabeth followed Raphael out of the dojo.

"So what'd ya tink?" Raphael asked with a smirk as he and Elizabeth made their way to her room.

"You guys do that every day?" Elizabeth asked in awe.

Raphael chuckled. "Few times a day actually. Master Splinter used ta make us do extra trainin' sessions when we disobeyed him when we were younger." He grinned widely at her, his amber eyes flashing with amusement.

"How long have you been doing this?"

"Fer as long as I can remember. Master Splinter wanted us ta be able ta defend ourselves if we ever needed ta. And it has come in handy over da years." Raphael grimaced and rubbed at his arm again.

"You guys are really good at it. You're so fast."

"Ya gotta be – if ya execute dem moves slow den yer opponent can see what yer doin' and can block it," Raphael explained.

"Do you think… maybe… after the baby is born you could teach me some of this stuff?"

Raphael studied her carefully for several long minutes. Elizabeth felt blood flooding her cheeks but didn't look away from Raphael. If she could learn even the most basic self defense techniques then she wouldn't fell like such a victim anymore. She only hoped that Raphael would understand that.

"I ain't da best teacher here, 'Lizbeth," Raphael finally said. "Leo and Master Splinter are da best at dat stuff. But I can try if ya really want me ta do it. If not Leo or Master Splinter would be happy ta do it."

"I… I really want you," Elizabeth said blushing.

"After da baby den," Raphael said cupping her chin and staring deep into her eyes. "We'll start yer trainin'."

"Promise?" Elizabeth asked leaning in closer, her sweet breath hitting Raphael's face.

Raphael leaned in and kissed her softly. "Promise."

* * *

><p><strong>AN Continued: Not too sure how I did with Splinter's personality. He is one of the characters I struggle with the most so I hope he came off ok. And yes just in case you are wondering I do know what the names of all the guys weapons are. LOL. Elizabeth doesn't. :D Not yet anyway. Hope you guys enjoyed it.**


	16. Chapter 16

**I don't want to give too much away here for this next chapter. But a slight warning for some scenes, though nothing too graphic. :D I hope everyone who celebrates it had a great holiday. I know why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year because it reminds me of all I am grateful for. Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter written but I've been so swamped with work it has kept me bouncing around. I recently lost a friend of many many years to cancer and I've been grieving and unable to write, and with the holiday... well time has just gotten away from me. I hope this chapter was worth the wait I really enjoyed writing it. I won't promise to get another chapter up within the next two weeks because right before Christmas is swamped... at least that's what I've been told and from what I've seen of the schedule I believe it. So it might be a little while again but I promise I'll update as soon as I can! Have a great weekend everyone!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

Elizabeth lay awake in the dark, rubbing a hand over her swollen abdomen absent-mindedly. She knew she should be tired, but she felt wide awake, too jittery and excited to sleep. She couldn't believe she'd been in the lair for over two months now, the time had gone by so quickly. She was now into her second trimester and to her relief the urge to vomit every half an hour had passed. She now found herself craving odd combinations of food, only to change her mind minutes later. Michelangelo tried to accommodate her but found it difficult when after he prepared what she had asked for she was in the mood for something else. Lately her fetish had been ice cream and caramel sauce with dill pickles on the side.

Elizabeth had grown used to her life down here in the lair, and the turtles had all warmed to her to the point where she no longer felt like a stranger living in their home but as part of the family.

_Family._

It was a nice feeling to be part of a real family again. It had been so long since she'd felt this way. She hadn't talked to her parents or brother for so long it didn't feel like they were even a part of her life anymore. The last time she'd seen them was at her wedding.

It was true that Raphael and his brothers, along with Splinter, weren't the most ordinary beings but they were so incredible that Elizabeth felt very privileged to be a part of their lives. Michelangelo was always trying to convince Elizabeth to challenge him to one of his video games, Elizabeth rarely took the bait, knowing he was skilled enough that he would always beat her. But every once in a while she'd give in and would laugh merrily with him while Michelangelo officially smoked her. He would crow in triumph and jab her gently in the ribs with his elbow, telling her she'd better brush up on her video game skills if she ever hoped to beat him. However, when it came to card games, Elizabeth was much more in her element. She would snicker to herself while Michelangelo's tongue would poke out from the corner of his mouth, the ridges over his eyes furrowed, and he'd frown staring at the cards she already had on the table. He had yet to beat her at canasta and Elizabeth had noticed that the others, although rarely joining in themselves, had enjoyed watching the two of them play.

Donatello on the other hand was the complete opposite of his brother, Elizabeth had really come to enjoy spending time talking quietly with Donatello in the morning while he caffeinated himself before disappearing into his lab. Elizabeth didn't see him as often as she saw some of the others, Donatello was always in his lab and hated being disturbed. But he was always there if the others needed him. Elizabeth hadn't missed the way Donatello would drop everything for his brothers. There had been one day when Michelangelo, so busy recounting the latest comic book he'd gotten to Elizabeth that he hadn't been paying attention to what he was doing and his hand had touched a burning pot on the stove. He'd screamed and dropped the pan sending hot water and boiled potatoes all over the floor. The noise had attracted Raphael from the living room and he'd entered just in time to see Elizabeth rushing over to where Mikey stood clutching his hand. Without a word Raphael had disappeared to fetch Donatello who had appeared seconds later, medical supplies in hand. Elizabeth knew that he had been working on seriously complicated scientific calculations and fixing a few broken items in his lab but he had abandoned both because his brother had needed him more.

Leonardo was unlike any of his brothers. Although he wasn't as loud as Michelangelo he wasn't as quiet as Donatello either. Elizabeth found that Leonardo was very serious and very disciplined. She would sometimes hear him leaving in the morning to go for an early training run, he was usually back within an hour. He would then shower and head to the dojo to meditate before breakfast. Elizabeth had grown quite used to his routine. After breakfast the turtles had morning sparring sessions with each other, afterwards the turtles would separate to do their own thing. Leonardo would often retreat to his room, though Elizabeth wasn't sure what it was he did up there. She never asked. Still there was something comforting about Leo. He was an easy turtle to talk to now that he had warmed up to her and she found his presence soothing. She enjoyed talking to him in the evenings as he had his tea.

And that left Raphael – the turtle she spent the most time with. Over the last month their relationship had deepened. Raphael spent almost every night in her room now and his brothers didn't even blink at it anymore. Elizabeth loved cuddling up against him at night, his large arm would wrap around her, pulling her closer to him. She felt safe when she was with him. There was no way to explain how she felt other than safe. What was it about his presence that instantly put her at ease? Elizabeth couldn't figure it out, although if she were going to be honest with herself she didn't spend a lot of time trying.

Elizabeth's days had fallen into a familiar pattern built on routine. In the morning she'd wake up and head for the kitchen, starting up the coffee for Donatello and starting breakfast. Not long after that Leonardo would join her as he finished up his morning training runs and meditation sessions and was always ready for his morning tea. Michelangelo would soon follow his brother into the kitchen and would either help Elizabeth with breakfast or slump down in his usual seat at the small table depending on how late they had been out on patrol.

Raphael was usually the third turtle in the kitchen. At first he'd just sat down next to his brothers and discussed their next patrol but lately Raphael had been more of a tease, sneaking up behind Elizabeth and grabbing a few pieces of bacon or sticking his finger into the bowl to have a taste of whatever it was she was cooking. He'd finally given her white sauce for the French toast a chance and now the others were lucky if they got any – between Raphael and Michelangelo there usually wasn't enough to go around amongst the others. Elizabeth had started making larger portions but it didn't seem to help.

Donatello was usually the last to stumble into the kitchen, only half awake and rubbing at his eyes wearily as he made his way to the table, he'd slump down in his seat next to Michelangelo and would give Elizabeth a tired smile as she slid a mug of hot freshly brewed coffee in front of him.

As for Splinter, well, Elizabeth had grown accustomed to Splinter's quiet presence, though she wasn't intimidated by him anymore she still knew he was expecting an answer from her on whether or not she'd decided to stay after the baby was born.

Elizabeth's hand paused on her stomach. It still felt so strange to think that a life was actually growing inside her. A tiny little person was inside her at this very moment.

"Can't sleep?" A husky voice interrupted Elizabeth's thoughts.

She turned and smiled at the red-banded turtle who was watching her with those strange amber eyes. "I thought you were sleeping."

"I 'eard yer stomach rumblin' an' it woke me up," Raphael said with a smirk.

Elizabeth frowned. "My stomach was not rumbling. I had two helpings of dinner tonight I couldn't eat another bite if I wanted to!"

Raphael chuckled quietly. He quirked an eye ridge at her and his eyes flashed a little in the darkness. Elizabeth scooted closer to him, laying her head on his arm and stroking the smooth plates that made up his plastron with the tips of her fingers.

"So what were ya tinkin' 'bout if it wasn't another grilled fish sandwich with onions and potata chips on da side?" Raphael chuckled again.

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. "Did I really say that sounded good?"

"Ya did at dinner – wasn't sure if I was gonna be able ta watch ya eat it."

Elizabeth laughed quietly. "It sounded a lot better then – but now I'm thinking that roast beef and chocolate ice cream with raspberry topping sounds really good."

Raphael made a face and Elizabeth laughed.

"Ya gotta stop havin' these weird cravin's, 'Lizbeth. Mikey was a lot greener den usual tonight after dinner."

"I can't help it – it's just what the baby needs I guess."

"Well yer keepin' it down at least," Raphael said with a slight laugh. He pulled her closer and Elizabeth happily ducked her head underneath his chin as his arms came around her back pulling her closer to him. Elizabeth listened to his heart pumping underneath his plastron for a few minutes before Raphael broke the silence again.

"So… have ya thought 'bout what yer gonna call it?"

"Call what?"

Raphael shifted a little. "Da baby – ya got a name fer it?"

"Oh," Elizabeth flushed. "I don't know… I haven't really… I know that if it was a boy Graham wanted it named after him… "

Raphael growled at the sound of Graham's name so Elizabeth didn't continue.

"Ya ain't gonna name it after 'im are ya?" Raphael's voice was tight when he finally spoke again.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No – but I'm not sure what I would name him either." She paused for a moment. "Or her – none of the names I come up with seem right."

Raphael was silent for a while, but Elizabeth knew he hadn't fallen asleep because his fingers were gently running up and down along her spine. Elizabeth felt a warm burning sensation building in her gut when he found a sensitive spot on her back and she shivered. She felt Raphael shift a little so he could look at her but she kept her face hidden.

"What names have ya thought 'bout?" Raphael finally asked breaking the silence again.

"The usual names Billy, Bobby, Fred, Kurt, Roger, George, Alex, Nathan, Matthew, Jacob, Emily, Hannah, Rebecca, Sarah, Judy, Melanie, Stephanie… none of them seem to fit."

"Mmm… " Raphael pondered the names quietly as Elizabeth listed them off.

"Do you have any ideas, Raph?"

"Me?" Raphael seemed surprised by her question.

"Well, I mean if you ever… have you ever thought about… " Elizabeth blushed and was secretly glad it was so dark so Raphael couldn't see so clearly.

"It was never really an issue – da chances of us ever havin' a kid… " Raphael trailed off. He didn't elaborate, but then again he didn't have to.

"I'm sorry, Raph. I shouldn't have… "

"Don't." Raphael's voice was clipped.

Elizabeth's mouth snapped closed and she stared down sadly at her fingers, which had curled into fists against Raphael's plastron.

There was an awkward silence hanging over them now, Elizabeth wasn't sure why Raphael hadn't pushed her away, but she feared that if he did she might not be able to be with him like this again for several days. The thought of being separated from him like that – if even temporarily made her chest hurt so badly she wasn't sure if she'd survive it.

"Toshiro Yoshi," Raphael's voice was so soft Elizabeth almost didn't hear him.

She turned, lifting her head away from his arm and stared at his face. "What was that, Raph?"

"Dat's what I'd name 'im," Raphael said reaching up with one hand to brush a lock of hair away from Elizabeth's face but then he gently cupped her cheek. "Toshiro."

"Toshiro – I've never heard of that name before."

"It means talented and Yoshi – well dat would be fer Splinter. Dat was 'is master's name."

Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully biting her lip as she thought the name over. "And if it was a girl?"

"Akemi," Raphael didn't hesitate this time – it was as if he'd already had the answer.

"What's that mean?"

"It means a beautiful sunrise – I always like watchin' da sun come up when we're outta da city and it's safe fer us ta watch it. There's so many colors."

Elizabeth stared into Raphael's eyes for several long minutes. She could see he was uncomfortable with her penetrating stare but she couldn't help herself. She'd never seen this side of him before. "You know what, Raph? I really like those names."

Raphael chuckled. "Yer not just sayin' dat cause ya like me kissin' ya and don't wanna hurt my feelin's are ya?"

Elizabeth leaned forward and pressed her lips against his beak. Raphael kissed her back willingly. Elizabeth was the first to pull away, something she normally didn't do. Raphael looked up at her confused. "I wouldn't care if you didn't give me any names, Raphael. You are always worth kissing."

Raphael chuckled and pulled her into a tighter embrace against his plastron while her mouth found his once again. A low groan rumbled up his throat and he tightened his hold on her body. She felt so good against him, so soft, so inviting. Her fingers trailed down his sides, finding the sensitive skin between his plastron and carapace. He shifted but Elizabeth was using her body to keep him down. Not that he would want to be anywhere else right now anyway.

Elizabeth's hands worked over his body, feeling every inch of his well defined muscles, his skin, his shell. They inched lower on his body and Raphael jerked when Elizabeth hands touched the sensitive part of his thigh. He felt a warmth creep through his body so suddenly that he had to fight the urge to let himself drop – acting like an animal during the mating season. But still… the way Elizabeth's eyes met his and a sly smile crept over her face Raphael had no doubt that she knew exactly what she was doing to him.

"Haven't we waited long enough, Raphael?" Elizabeth whispered her hand ghosting against his thigh again and this time Raphael found it harder to keep control of his urges.

"'Lizbeth, I don't know… I wanna make sure dat yer sure."

"Raph," Elizabeth leaned up and kissed him again, this time with such passion and urgency that Raphael couldn't help but respond to her. The warmth in his gut quickly turned to a burning fire fueled with desire. "I have never been more ready for anything in my life."

That was all it took. Raphael's hungry mouth found hers and he found the kisses to be more passionate, more deep, and more meaningful than  
>they had been before. He found himself lost in her scent, in the way her hands roamed over his body as if she weren't bothered at all by the leathery skin or hard shell.<p>

She clung to him, as if afraid he would disappear, her nails digging almost painfully into his skin. But his skin wasn't the same as hers – it was tougher, not as easily damaged. Her skin was silky soft underneath his large hands and he loved the feel of her hair as it swept against his face. He found his body reacting to hers as she leaned up against him, and he ran his hands over her back, marveling again at how beautiful she was. How silky smooth her skin and how it had that creamy color. She was soft where he was hard and warm, so very warm. He shivered as she leaned down and kissed his skin just above his plastron, but grimaced when her teeth nipped him gently.

Raphael's breathing was getting more ragged now, his chest heaved with it and he could tell from Elizabeth's heavy breathing and the smell of salt that Elizabeth was soaked in sweat.

Elizabeth paused, holding herself up so she could look into his eyes. Raphael stared right back, feeling as though he could stare into those eyes of hers forever.

Elizabeth smiled shyly as she leaned down on him once again. Her lips met his, but they were more gentle this time. Raphael kissed her back, a moan once again escaping his throat. He wrapped his arms tightly around her body and didn't think of anything else for a long time.

* * *

><p>Raphael rose quietly the next morning, not wanting to disturb Elizabeth. But he knew if he didn't leave that Leonardo would soon come looking for him. Raphael stealthily rolled off the bed, making sure to keep his movements so steady that the bed hardly shifted as he rose. Elizabeth frowned in her sleep and pulled the bed sheet more tightly around her bare shoulders.<p>

Raphael watched her, holding his breath. She was so beautiful, even now with her hair tangled and spread out all around her face, with her cheeks still pink from the activities of the night before, and her lips swollen slightly as their kisses had increased with passion and Raphael's kisses had gotten harder against her lips.

Elizabeth didn't stir as Raphael shook his head and started out of the room, care to avoid looking in the corner where the remains of Elizabeth's pajamas lay, exactly where Raphael had thrown them after he'd ripped them off her last night.

He had been a little hesitant last night, uncertain at first, but Elizabeth hadn't been. She had been willing, bold, which had surprised him but it had also pleased him. He'd never felt like this about anyone, had never thought that he could be with anyone the way he was with Elizabeth last night. But knowing that she had wanted him the way that he had wanted her had given him confidence. He'd been intoxicated by her, by her soft skin, her warm breath, the sweet scent of jasmine that always seemed to linger on her skin…

Raphael pushed away those thoughts as a warmth spread through his gut. He had to pull himself together, he had his morning training session with his brothers in half an hour – it wouldn't do him any good if he let his thoughts of the night before with Elizabeth distract him. He hurried out of the room on quiet feet shutting the door silently behind him.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth woke slowly, with the irritating sensation that she'd slept for a very long time. Her body felt heavy, trapping her. But she felt happy too. Last night had been so… the corners of Elizabeth's mouth curled up in a smile as she slowly tried to think of a word to describe the night before. Incredible just didn't seem to cover it. There wasn't a word good enough for what she'd experienced with Raphael. She'd never felt such a powerful physical connection with someone. But it was as if they were made for each other, she had sensed that he was a little nervous at first but she'd quickly put his fears at ease as she'd grown more aggressive with her passion and to her delight he had responded to her willingly.<p>

His body was so incredible, so very different from anything she'd ever experienced before, so hard and firm, yet so flexible. She wondered if that had anything to do with whatever that ooze had been that had mutated them in the first place. She knew that most turtles couldn't bend the way that Raphael and his brothers did, and although their shells and plastron were hard enough to protect them they allowed them to be flexible enough to allow them to do what they did in their daily routines.

Elizabeth shivered a little and opened her eyes. She was alone in the bed, her eyes widened a little in surprise and she glanced around the room hoping to see Raphael in there somewhere, but he wasn't. The room was empty and the door closed.

Had he left after she'd fallen asleep last night? The last thing she had remembered was falling asleep in his arms, curled up against his body and even though she had been aware that her pajamas were now ruined beyond repair she hadn't cared. As long as she had been with him.

Elizabeth glanced at the floor and spotted her pajamas, flushing a little and clutching the sheet a little tighter around her chest. She would have to discard them later – she'd heard them rip last night when Raphael had… she blushed again remembering how much she'd enjoyed his large rough hands on her skin.

She shook her head. She had to get control of herself. She knew the others were bound to get suspicious if she didn't come out of her room soon… but could she face them now? Would they know? Would Raphael tell them? What would they think?

Keeping the sheet wrapped around her body Elizabeth rolled off the bed and headed for the second hand dresser for some clean clothes. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a baggy yellow sweatshirt. She snatched some undergarments and quickly slipped into her clothes before looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, she raked her fingers through it but it didn't seem to help. She sighed and headed for the door, hoping the bathroom was free.

As she entered the main area of the lair she could hear the sounds of the turtles sparring in the dojo – she grinned and hurried for the bathroom. She could be cleaned up and presentable by the time the turtles were done with their morning session.

The brush made short work of tangles she hadn't managed to rake out with her fingers, Elizabeth brushed all her hair away from her face then took a small piece right in the middle over her widow's peak and split the piece of hair into two pieces, crossing them over each other to make a small x, then she pulled up a small piece of hair on either side of her head and repeated the process over and over, adding each small piece to the first as she continued all the way down to the back of her skull. Then she continued on what was left of her hair, taking small pieces from the outer edge and crisscrossing them over each other until she finished braiding her long brown hair in a perfect plait, not a single hair sticking out of place. Elizabeth smiled at her reflection she was much more presentable now.

Someone knocked on the other side of the door. "Elizabeth? Is that you in there?"

Elizabeth quickly put her brush back in with the rest of her bathroom supplies and opened the door to see Donatello waiting for his turn. He smiled at her and quickly dodged around her as she left, shutting the door behind him.

Elizabeth was slightly surprised – usually it was Michelangelo who was always in a hurry for the bathroom. She shrugged to herself and headed for the kitchen, her stomach was growling angrily at her reminding her that she'd slept through breakfast and dinner had been almost fifteen hours before.

None of the others were in the kitchen yet. Elizabeth looked towards the dojo in surprise – she could hear Splinter's soft voice talking to someone, though she wasn't sure who. Deciding it was best to not interrupt Elizabeth started for the kitchen, hoping she'd be able to find something decent for lunch. She pulled at her waistline on her jeans, uncomfortable with how tight they were getting on her now. She wondered if she shouldn't see if she could get April to go shopping with her so she could get some more comfortable pants. Or maybe Donatello could help her find something online? She hated to go topside while Graham was still looking for her, especially since he knew so many low-level thugs. She really didn't want to go anywhere without Raphael – but she knew it wouldn't be possible for him to simply go to the store with her while she looked and tried on new clothes.

Elizabeth sighed as she pulled out a package of cheese, the bread and a couple tomatoes. She pulled the frying pan out from its usual place, almost as familiar with this kitchen now as she had been with her own. She started up the burner and placed a slice of bread on the pan to get it browning while she sliced up the cheese, placing a couple slices on top so it could start to melt and placing another slice of bread on top.

"I hope that smell is lunch," Michelangelo said as he bounded into the kitchen a few minutes later, grinning as Elizabeth smiled at him over her shoulder.

Elizabeth slid the pancake turner underneath the perfectly browned sandwich and slid it onto the plate next to the first she'd already finished.

"I hope you guys like grilled cheese," Elizabeth said as she placed another premade sandwich onto the pan so it could start to cook.

"Mikey'll eat anyting," Raphael said with a smirk as he followed his brother into the kitchen. He walked up to Elizabeth and wrapped an arm around her waist, Elizabeth grinned and leaned back against his plastron, completely forgetting that Michelangelo was in the room with them.

Michelangelo snickered. "You two need to get a room."

"Can it, Mikey," Raphael snapped, but he let go of Elizabeth and headed back for the table to join his brother. Elizabeth laughed quietly and went to turn the sandwich in the frying pan but blinked when she saw that one of the finished grilled cheese sandwiches was missing. She turned and glared at Raphael who was smirking at her, his prize in his hand, already halfway gone while Michelangelo scowled at him, sulking.

"Raphael!" Elizabeth was exasperated.

"Ya didn't tink I was gonna let da chucklehead eat dem all did ya?" Raphael asked as he took another large bite of his sandwich.

"I'm sure there will be plenty to go around," Elizabeth said trying to sound annoyed, but she couldn't help but smile at him.

"Good den I'll be able ta have another one," Raphael popped the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth and dusted the crumbs off his fingers.

Elizabeth laughed and shook her head, turning back to the sandwich and turning it just in time to stop it from burning. Then she turned back to the cutting board where she had been slicing up the tomatoes.

Splinter, Leonardo, and Donatello soon joined them in the kitchen. Elizabeth slid the last sandwich out of the frying pan and onto the plate of finished sandwiches alongside the sliced tomatoes. She took the plate over to the table and sat down next to Raphael where the food was passed around the table.

"Elizabeth, I'd like to take another sonogram picture in a few weeks – we should be able to tell how big the baby is and maybe we'd even be able to see if it is a boy or girl." Donatello said as he helped himself to a sandwich and a few tomato slices.

"Sure, Donny," Elizabeth agreed lightly.

"I'm surprised you didn't put something weird on these sandwiches," Michelangelo said changing the subject quickly as Elizabeth bit into her sandwich.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth gave Michelangelo an innocent look. "When have I made anything weird?"

Michelangelo made a face and Elizabeth laughed. "Actually, Mikey, would you mind getting the ketchup out for me?"

"Uh… " Michelangelo hesitated for a second but then got up and quickly retrieved the ketchup from the fridge. He watched with wide eyes as Elizabeth squeezed out a generous portion onto her plate and dipped the end of her sandwich into it before taking a large bite. "Ugh… how can you eat that?" Michelangelo was disgusted.

Elizabeth chuckled. "It's great – why don't you try some?"

Michelangelo shook his head. Elizabeth merely shrugged and dipped her sandwich into the ketchup again.

The others snickered quietly but didn't comment as they ate their sandwiches in silence. In what seemed like no time all the sandwiches and tomato slices had been eaten. Elizabeth leaned back against the back of her chair running a hand over her stomach. "You know what sounds good for dessert?"

All of the turtles and Splinter looked at her warily. Elizabeth's ideas for dessert had rarely sounded good to any of them lately.

Michelangelo was the first to recover. "Let me guess – pistachio ice cream with hot fudge and sardines?"

Elizabeth gapped at him for a long minute before bursting into a fit of laughter. The others watched with amused expressions while bouts of laughter seemed to rock through her. When Elizabeth finally seemed to get a hold of herself she wiped a few tears away from her eyes.

"You've been watching too many I Love Lucy reruns, Mikey." Elizabeth chuckled again and Michelangelo shrugged.

"Well with all the other weird desserts you've been coming up with… didn't seem like it'd be that far off."

"No – I was thinking of hot fudge sundaes… or a banana split."

Michelangelo's face lit up with delight. "I could go for that, dudette!"

Elizabeth laughed again. "Good cause I'm in the mood for some mint chocolate chip ice cream with strawberry sauce, blueberry crumble, and red peppers."

* * *

><p><strong>AN Continued: And yes I acutally did mean to put down red peppers as the last topping for Elizabeth's sundae. LOL. Not sure if that was really what she wanted or if she just wanted to tease Mikey. :D She does have a twisted sense of humor. Hope you guys enjoyed it and thanks again to all of those who take the time to review and let me know what you thought. See you next time. :D**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey guys - sorry again for so long between updates. Work has been busy and I come home and literally feed the dogs and get ready for bed so I can get up early to go to work the next day. This is my only day off this week - I've been working very long days sometimes a bit shorter but my average is about 9 1/2 - 10 hour days. I worked 13 yesterday and was so tired byt the time I got to home I just got ready for bed. But I have been working on this next chapter when I've had the time. I've got a little vacation coming up here next week so maybe I'll have time to get another chapter written then. That is if it isn't too crazy with me trying to get my apartment packed up and cleaned out so I can move out. The joys of being an adult. :D Thanks again for all of you who take the time to review - and if I don't get this updated again before then - happy holidays to everyone. See you next time. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

Elizabeth found herself relaxing as she inhaled another deep breath.

In… two… three…

Out… two… three…

In… two… three…

Out… two… three…

She never would have believed something could be so relaxing but even though the tatami mat wasn't the softest thing she'd ever sat on, and she wasn't crazy about the sandal wood smell she had to admit that it was peaceful as well.

She would be forever grateful to Leonardo for showing her how to meditate properly. It had taken her a couple weeks but eventually she had learned how to let go of everything and let herself drift into the spiritual plane. It was such an amazing experience for her the first time that it had almost frightened her, but then Leonardo's voice had been there, calm and soothing, reassuring. Elizabeth had gotten used to the strange sensation now and found that when she meditated with the eldest of the four turtles that she was much calmer than she had ever been before in her life. There was just something so soothing about Leonardo's presence as he meditated beside her.

She was almost certain at times she'd felt his presence there alongside her on the spiritual plane as well. She could never be sure of course as she was still so new to all this, but she wouldn't have been surprised.

Elizabeth found herself drifting further and further away from her body, no longer focused on her breathing but on the sensation of no longer being trapped by a physical being. No longer held down by all the fear, hate, and anguish she housed within her own mind. When she was here she was free.

"Leo? Ya in here?"

Elizabeth's eyes snapped open, her concentration and freedom snatched away from her faster than if she'd been doused with cold water. Sitting next to her Leonardo too opened his eyes.

Michelangelo was looking at them sheepishly from the doorway of the dojo, it was obvious that he had no idea that they had been meditating.

Leonardo unfolded his legs with a sigh and got to his feet. "What is it, Mikey?"

"Uh, Casey is here – and he brought something I think you should see," Michelangelo's eyes darted to Elizabeth then back to Leonardo again quickly.

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed marginally, it was obvious that Michelangelo didn't want her to know whatever it was that Casey brought, but from the grim look on his face it wasn't a surprise.

"Mikey, what… ?" Elizabeth started to ask but Leonardo was already hurrying out of the dojo with Michelangelo close behind.

Elizabeth scowled at the spot where Michelangelo had been standing seconds before, she blew out the candles she and Leo had been using and put them back in their rightful places and then stormed out of the dojo. She could see Casey with the turtles on the other side of the lair, they all shared the same grim expression and were talking in whispers too low for her to pick up. Elizabeth was half tempted to walk over and insist to know what they were talking about but she thought better of it. They probably wouldn't tell her anyway and besides she had to go to the bathroom again.

With a resigned sigh she headed for her source of relief. She would question Raphael about it later.

* * *

><p>"How many did you say there are, Casey?" Leonardo asked glaring down at the small offending bit of paper.<p>

"Dey are all over da city, Leo. Hard ta miss 'em," Casey said. "And I 'eard on da radio dat da police are lookin' fer 'er too."

"She didn't steal dat guy's money," Raphael growled through his teeth, taking his sai out of his belt and spinning them angrily.

"We know that, Raph," Donatello said quickly glancing over his shoulder briefly just in time to see Elizabeth disappear into the bathroom. "But that isn't going to stop the police from trying to bring her in for questioning."

Leonardo crumpled the paper in his hands. "She just won't be able to leave the lair. It's the best place for her to be so we can protect her."

"When I get a hold of dis guy I'm gonna… " Raphael started.

"That isn't going to solve anything, Raphael," Leonardo said sharply. "The real problem we have is when that baby is due." He turned to his purple-banded brother. "How long do you think she has, Donny?"

"At least four months – although pregnancies can be tricky, Leo. If something happens and Elizabeth goes into early labor or has complications I won't have the equipment she'll need to help her."

"Den get it!" Raphael snapped.

"Raph, it isn't that easy!" Donatello's normally even temper boiled. "Hospitals have all kinds of equipment to help women with a delivery, or to stop an early labor. There is no way we could get a hold of that kind of equipment. We aren't set up for that kind of situation."

"So what we're gonna send 'er out der where dat jerk of a husband can get 'er?" Raphael demanded.

"Of course not, Raphael," Leonardo intervened. "We are doing everything we can to help her and when the time comes and if we can't we'll make sure she's in good hands."

Casey nodded and clapped Raphael on the shoulder. "Nothin's gonna happen ta 'er, pal."

Raphael shook Casey's hand off his shoulder and stormed off to the dojo.

"Dude," Michelangelo breathed not daring to raise his voice above a whisper. "Is it just me or is Raph strung a lot more tightly than usual?"

Leonardo shot him a withering look. "Don't you think it's obvious on why he is, Mikey?"

Michelangelo eyes narrowed a little. "I'm not that dumb, Leo."

"Guys, this isn't helping," Donatello interrupted as Leonardo opened his mouth to snap back. "Casey, see if April can find a way to help Elizabeth get better fitting clothes without her having to leave the lair, internet, sizes… whatever it takes. The less Elizabeth leaves the lair the better."

Casey nodded. "Sure ting, Donny. April and I will help anyway we can."

Donatello nodded, satisfied. Then he turned and headed for his lab.

"Are ya sure it's a good idea ta keep dis from 'er, Leo? Eventually she's gonna find out – it's all over da news."

Leonardo sighed and glanced first towards the dojo where the sounds of Raphael taking his frustrations out on his punching bag could be heard before his eyes darted to the closed bathroom door. "We'll have to let her know, Casey. There's no way to keep this from her without making things worse. She's going to want to know why we don't want her to leave the lair."

"Well I'd better get back – April and I got a reservation fer six. She'll kill me if we miss it. But I t'ought dis was someting I couldn't tell ya guys over da phone."

Leonardo nodded. "Thanks, Casey."

Casey looked towards the dojo before giving Mikey and Leo a strained smile. "Good luck, guys. Call if ya need someting."

"Thanks, Case," Mikey said giving their old friend a tight smile in return. Leonardo, however, didn't seem to be paying attention, he was watching the closed bathroom door intently. Casey turned and headed for the elevator.

"Why don't you see if Elizabeth wants something to eat, Mikey? I'm going to try and talk to Raph before he… " A loud roar of frustration and the unmistakable sound of something breaking echoed out from the dojo. Leonardo winced and Michelangelo's eyes widened in shock.

The bathroom door opened and Elizabeth emerged, looking shocked and worried.

"Go stop her – I've got to get Raph calmed down!" Leonardo ordered giving Michelangelo a little push as he hurried off to the dojo himself.

"Hey, Elizabeth, ya hungry?" Michelangelo asked forcing a bright smile and trying not to look alarmed as another loud crash echoed from the dojo.

Elizabeth's eyes strayed towards the dojo. "Is Raph ok, Mikey?"

"Leo's gonna talk to him – he'll be fine, Elizabeth," Michelangelo said hoping he sounded sincere. "Come on let's get dinner started you promised you'd show me how to do that chicken braid thingy you were talkin' 'bout."

Elizabeth looked reluctant but she nodded and allowed Michelangelo to lead her to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Leonardo stepped into the dojo just in time to see Raphael's sai slash Raph's bag right across the middle and sand began to instantly pour all over the dojo floor. Leonardo winced, Raph loved that bag.<p>

"Raph," Leo began not moving from the doorway as his brother angrily slashed at the bag again slicing another long tear in the bag.

"I don't wanna talk, Leo," Raphael growled. He kicked the leaking bag making it swing around and scattering sand all over the floor.

"Well if you don't keep it down you're not going to have a choice because Elizabeth will come in here to see why you're so angry."

Raphael released another viscous kick at his almost deflated bag, Leonardo flinched as a few of the wayward grains of sand hit him in the face. Raphael didn't seem to notice or care that he'd totally destroyed the bag. Instead he turned and with as much force as he could muster flung his sai into the tatami mat.

"Raph," Leonardo had to work to keep his voice even. "You're gonna have to tell her – it'd be best if she heard it from you."

"We don't have ta tell 'er nothin', Leo," Raphael snarled.

"And you think she won't find out on her own?" Leonardo cocked one eye ridge at his brother.

Raphael snarled and overturned a rack holding dumbbells on it with an ear shattering crash. "WE GOTTA DO SOMETING 'BOUT DIS, LEO!"

"Raph!" Leonardo stepped further into the dojo and motioning with his hands for his brother to keep his voice down. "You want Elizabeth to come in here and see you like this? Calm down. We'll take care of Graham but we can't do it blind."

"He won't stop 'til he kills 'er!" Raphael snarled. "Ya said it yerself he almost did it dat night – he's just tryin' ta finish da job. He wants 'er outta da way."

"We aren't going to let that happen, Raph. Elizabeth's safe here with us," Leonardo's eyes widened in alarm as Raphael sat down so suddenly it was almost as if his legs would no longer support him.

"We can't let 'im get 'er, Leo."

"He's not going to touch her, bro. We'll keep her safe." Leonardo sank down next to his brother, sitting on his knees and raised a hand as if to put it on Raphael's shoulder, but hesitated. Raphael had never been so emotionally vulnerable. It was true that Raph didn't hide his feelings well, they were just as close to the surface as Michelangelo's always were - but where Michelangelo was fun and outgoing and easily worried about small things Raphael's anger was usually just below the surface, with only the smallest provication needed to release it. But Elizabeth had brought something out in him that Leonardo had never expected. He wondered briefly how deep Raphael and Elizabeth were actually involved. He and his brothers had noticed that Raphael spent every night with Elizabeth now, but he had never thought that they had actually be physically intimate before now. But he thought Elizabeth had smelled more strongly of his brother than usual today. He hadn't really paid attention to that – but from the way Raphael was acting now… it was hard to think that they'd hadn't been together physically to create such a strong bond.

Raphael's vulnerability vanished as quickly as it had appeared, a familiar hard glint shone out of his eyes as he nodded determinedly. "He ain't gonna touch 'er. Never again, Leo."

"Not if we have anything to say about it, bro," Leonardo agreed.

Raphael nodded and stood up grabbing the handle of his sai and tugging it out of the mat. He sighed and glared at the sand covered floor, strewn about dumbbells, and finally to the ruined punching bag. "Aww, shell – dat was my favorite bag."

Leonardo suppressed the urge to smirk. "Come on, Raph – I'll help you clean up."

* * *

><p>Michelangelo ran his finger along the upper edge of the bowl, licking the concoction off the end and grinning as Elizabeth smacked him gently before taking the bowl away from him and pouring the grilled chicken breasts into the mixture before mixing it well and pouring it out on a rolled out piece of dough spread out over a cookie sheet.<p>

"Mmm," Michelangelo grinned. "That's really good, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth laughed. "If you don't stop having your little taste tests, Mikey, there won't be any left for dinner."

"But I'm hungry," Michelangelo pouted.

"Well lucky for you this doesn't take very long to cook then," Elizabeth said laughing again. She began cutting up a second large piece of dough into strips. "Are you paying attention? This is the tricky part."

Michelangelo sidled up to her and watched as Elizabeth expertly braided the strips of dough on top of the chicken mixture until it was covered. She then folded the bottom piece of dough up to seal off the ends.

"The trick is to make sure that you cover as much as this as you can," Elizabeth said patting a piece of dough a little bit more firmly so it laid flat on the mixture.

Michelangelo reached out to snatch a piece of chicken that was hanging out between strips of the braid. Elizabeth smacked his hand away. "You get out of here and start working on the vegetables."

Michelangelo laughed then glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, hey, Raph."

Elizabeth turned but was surprised that the doorway was empty she turned back just in time to see Michelangelo snatching his hand back, the piece of chicken she'd managed to save the first time pinched between his fingers. He laughed as he darted away from her to the other side of the small kitchen popping the chicken into his mouth as he went, obviously pleased with himself.

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh a little herself. It was hard to stay stressed when working with Mikey. She grabbed the cookie sheet and stuffed it into the oven before Michelangelo could snatch anymore free samples.

Michelangelo gleefully pulled a bag of mixed vegetables from the fridge and took them to the sink to be washed. Elizabeth grabbed the bowl the chicken mix had been in, made sure Michelangelo wasn't looking, and then copied his example by sticking her finger in the leftovers and licking it off her finger.

"I saw dat," Raphael's voice was so unexpected Elizabeth almost dropped the bowl in shock.

"Don't do that, Raph!" Elizabeth snapped, her green eyes flashing dangerously even though Raphael merely smirked and Mikey chuckled from where he stood at the sink. He obviously hadn't been surprised by his brother's sudden appearance.

Raphael made his way to Elizabeth's side, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her to him, ignoring the surprised look on her face. "Sorry 'bout dat," He smirked not looking sorry at all.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Elizabeth said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Raphael chuckled softly and his free hand came up to caress her cheek, Elizabeth felt her cheeks go red. Raphael's smirk widened, obviously amused but he said nothing. Instead he brushed her long brown hair behind her ear and stared into her emerald green eyes, losing himself in them while she got lost in his.

Elizabeth felt a familiar burning sensation building in her gut and she felt herself smiling, despite her irritation with him for surprising her, when he pulled her tighter against his body. She loved the way his body felt against her, so strong. Like nothing could ever get past him.

"So," Raphael finally said breaking her gaze and looking into the bowl she'd forgotten all about. "What's fer dinner?"

"Uh," Elizabeth's mind went blank.

Michelangelo snickered from the sink and Elizabeth blinked, blushing again as she realized the orange-banded brother was quite amused by their little display of affection.

"Chicken braid," Elizabeth finally recalled the name of the dish she'd just made. She wiped her finger in the leftover mixture again and ignoring Mikey's eyes she grinned teasingly at Raph. "Want a taste?"

Raphael chuckled. "Dat's alright – I can wait."

Elizabeth sucked the mixture off her finger and thought longingly of a cold shower. What had gotten into her anyway? Right in front of his brother?

"How come he gets a free taste?" Michelangelo pouted, interrupting her thoughts.

Elizabeth turned to him and pointed an accusing finger at his chest. "You had several free tastes, I couldn't get you to keep your fingers out!"

"They weren't free – you kept smacking me," Michelangelo protested.

Raphael snorted with laughter as he strolled over to the fridge to grab a soda.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and handed him the bowl. "Here then, you can have the rest."

Michelangelo's face lit up with delight as he snatched the bowl from her hands and helped himself to the leftovers. Elizabeth shook her head and began to chop up the freshly washed vegetables.

"So what did Casey want?" Elizabeth finally asked after a few minutes of silence while Michelangelo had finished cleaning out the bowl and Raphael sipped his soda.

There was a clatter as Michelangelo tossed the bowl into the sink. Startled, Elizabeth jerked and the knife slipped in her hand slicing into her finger neatly and spraying blood onto the cutting board, just missing the vegetables.

"Ouch! Crap!" Elizabeth quickly pulled her hand away so as not to spoil the vegetables. Raphael was by her side in an instant, his eyes narrowed behind his mask as he gently held her wrist with one hand and examined the cut.

"Dat's gonna need stitches, 'Lizbeth," Raphael said grimly. "Mikey'll clean dat up and finish up tings – ya gotta go see Donny."

Raphael spoke with such finality that Elizabeth didn't dare argue with him.

Michelangelo handed Raphael a small washrag, which Raphael wrapped gently around her finger, but then gripped the bleeding wound so tightly Elizabeth gasped in shock and pain.

"Sorry," Raphael grunted as he applied more pressure. "But we gotta get dis bleedin' ta slow down."

Then to Elizabeth's complete surprise and embarrassment, Raphael leaned down and faster than she could blink had scooped her up in his arms bridal style and was hurrying her out of the kitchen.

"Keep pressure on dat finger," Raphael instructed as he hurried across the lair with ease – as if he didn't notice her extra hundred and twenty pounds. Elizabeth did as he said, applying as much pressure as she could without crying out.

Donatello looked up startled when Raphael barged into his lab without knocking, he quickly turned off the monitor and swiveled around in his computer chair to stare at them. It took him less than a second to see the blood stained washcloth clamped between Elizabeth's hands and he was on his feet in an instant.

"What happened?" He demanded sharply as Raphael hurried to the infirmary through the lab door and set Elizabeth down on the cot.

"She cut 'erself with da kitchen knife," Raphael explained stepping back to allow his brother access and room to work.

Donatello frowned as he got his suturing kit and antibiotic creams. He gently unwound the blood soaked washrag from Elizabeth's finger and frowned at the deep wound. "This is a really deep cut, Elizabeth. But your fairly lucky, if the knife had jerked to the right just a little bit more you wouldn't have the front of your finger anymore."

Elizabeth blanched and from the corner of her eye she saw Raphael go a bit gray. Donatello seemed unperturbed as he got to work.

Donatello pretended not to notice the way Elizabeth flinched when the needle pierced her soft skin the first time, he felt her arm shake a little but he steadied it in his grasp and began to tie the delicate stitches. By the time he'd finished tying the last one almost five minutes later Elizabeth barely seemed to notice the sting anymore. Donatello snipped the thread and glanced up at her, unsurprised that she was staring across the room where Raphael was watching them, his shell against the wall, his arms folded across his plastron, on leg bent and crossed at the ankle in front of the other, his eyes narrowed a little behind his mask as he'd stared a hole into Donatello's shell.

Donatello suppressed the urge to shake his head. Whatever helped Elizabeth out while he was working on her was appreciated. His brothers were usually good patients – with the exception of Michelangelo of course. Michelangelo hated being stitched up and would usually only sit still if Raphael threatened to sit on him. Raphael and Leonardo never liked being bed ridden for more than a day and Donatello was hard pressed to keep them in bed to rest, but other than that he normally didn't have too many problems doctoring his brothers.

Elizabeth had been a difficult patient when she'd first arrived at the lair, terrified of him as she was, and not trusting anyone but Raph, Donny had found it hard to even get near her. Let alone help her with her wounds. But now he knew he had her complete trust – and she was actually a much better patient than even Raphael was when it came to stitches. And Raphael got stitches enough that Donatello would know. With his brother being the fierce warrior that he was – but having weapons that demanded close range to be effective, Raphael often got the brunt of the injuries when the brothers engaged in battle, Leo was usually not far behind. But Donatello had stitched up his brother more times than he cared to think about.

"Thanks, Donny," Elizabeth said as Donatello wrapped up Elizabeth's finger in a clean white gauze wrap and taped it in place.

Donatello nodded grimly. "Why don't you go take it easy for a while, Elizabeth. And take these," he handed her a couple pills, "they'll help with the pain."

Elizabeth slid off the cot shakily and cupped the pills in her hand. "I really should help Mikey finish… "

"Mikey can handle it," Raphael growled from where he stood against the wall. He unfolded his arms and stepped forward, gently grabbing the hand not holding the pills. "Yer gonna rest like Donny said."

Elizabeth knew better than to argue. She nodded once and allowed Raphael to lead her from the room.

* * *

><p>"Take that – and that!" Michelangelo cried in triumph as he blew another spaceship out of orbit. "Wahoo – the battle nexus champion reigns supreme!"<p>

Michelangelo dropped the remote and rubbed his stiff fingers. He'd finally done it – he'd topped his own best score. It had taken him months but he had been determined to do it. He leaned back against the couch and inhaled deeply in satisfaction, closing his eyes contentedly.

What was that weird smell?

Michelangelo's eyes popped open and he sniffed again and then he was on his feet darting for the kitchen as fast as his legs could carry him.

Grabbing a pot holder, Mikey pulled open the oven door and had to step back as heavy black smoke filled the room, along with the awful smell of burnt bread. Holding his breath Mikey pulled out the cookie tray and set the sad remains of dinner on the stovetop.

"Mikey, what happened?"

Elizabeth and Raphael rushed into the room, coughing on the awful smell. Elizabeth waved a hand in front of her mouth and nose and stared in disbelief at the blackened chicken braid.

"Sorry, Elizabeth, I uh… lost track of the time," Michelangelo said sheepishly, looking perfectly abashed as he turned the oven dial and poked at the burnt braid with the prongs of a fork. They didn't even make a dent in the charred bread.

Elizabeth gaped at him, open mouthed. "You… how could you lose track of the time, Mikey?"

Michelangelo wasn't sure if he wanted to answer.

"Chucklehead," Raphael growled, though his eyes were soft.

Elizabeth sighed, and took the fork form Michelangelo's hand, poking hopelessly at the remains of dinner. "Well this is inedible. Guess we'll have to make something else." Sadly she tossed the blackened braid into the trash and opened up the refrigerator, pulling out a package of thawing hamburger and sharp cheddar cheese.

Michelangelo hesitated not sure if she wanted his help this time. But Elizabeth looked at him and smiled easily. "You want to get some water boiling, Mikey?"

Michelangelo's grin returned, knowing he was forgiven. Elizabeth never stayed angry for long. He nodded before hurrying to pull a large pot from the cupboard and filling it with water. Elizabeth began to grate the cheese and then pulled out a frying pan to cook the meat in.

"Speakin' of dinner – did ya get da stuff fer Thursday, Mikey?"

"Almost," Michelangelo said, watching the water with more attention than was really necessary.

"Why? What's Thursday?" Elizabeth asked as she picked up the hamburger meat.

Raphael cocked an eye ridge at her and seemed to study her with surprise for a minute. "It's Thanksgivin' – April and Case are comin' down."

The thawed out hamburger fell out of Elizabeth's suddenly nerveless fingers. Michelangelo's quick reflexes allowed him to catch it before it hit the floor while Raphael suddenly bolted across the room to catch Elizabeth as her legs gave way, stopping her from falling heavily to the floor.

"'Lizbeth?" Ya ok?" Raphael asked, brushing his hand across her very white forehead. When she didn't answer his eyes widened in alarm and he looked up hopelessly at Michelangelo who was staring at them with just as much shock and confusion as his brother. Raphael gave Elizabeth a gentle shake.

"'Lizbeth!"

"Should I get Donny?" Michelangelo asked, his eyes widening in alarm when suddenly Elizabeth's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she went totally limp in his brother's arms.

"Get Donny, Mikey! Now!" Raphael half shouted, worry making his voice sharp. Michelangelo dashed out of the kitchen as fast as his legs could carry him.

Raphael patted Elizabeth's cheek, trying to rouse her, his stomach clenching in fear when he got no response.

"'Lizbeth, wake up! 'Lizbeth, can ya hear me? 'LIZBETH!"


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey guys - I know it has been a while. I hope everyone has had happy holidays and a happy new year so far. Sorry it took me so long to get this story updated again. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. For those anxious for adventure it'll be coming up in a few chapters I promise. Thanks again for sticking with me and for those who've taken the time to review. Have a great week everyone!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

Elizabeth had the feeling she'd been sleeping for a very long time, though she couldn't remember going to bed. She scrounged around inside her head trying to remember how she'd gotten here but was coming up blank. She remembered making dinner with Mikey and cutting her finger. She remembered the distinct smell of burning bread and seeing the ruined charcoaled mess that had once been dinner but after that everything was blank.

She breathed in deeply, stretching out her aching legs. They moved stiffly, aching a little bit with her movement. She frowned a little, had she run a marathon? Why was she so stiff?

A large hand on her back, something she hadn't really been aware of until now, began to rub soothing circles along her backbone and tense shoulder muscles. Elizabeth sighed and rolled over automatically, snuggling up against the familiar hard plated plastron and cool reptilian skin.

"'Lizbeth, ya awake?" Raphael's voice was soft, but gruff somehow.

"Mmm," Elizabeth sighed, cuddling closer into his plastron.

Raphael's large hand stopped rubbing circles against her back and instead brushed her tangled hair away from her face, his rough calloused skin brushed the thin skin on her cheekbones, bringing her closer to the surface of the black abyss she'd been floating in.

Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes and tilted her head back, blinking curiously at the red banded turtle.

Raphael's amber eyes were wary, his face strained, angry red lines where the white of Raphael's eyes should be told Elizabeth that Raphael had probably been up all night. Shocked, Elizabeth felt the last of her fatigue disappear.

"Raph," Elizabeth said lifting a hand to touch his face, but he pulled back, his eyes narrowing behind his mask. "What's wrong?" Elizabeth tried not to sound hurt by his rejection.

"What happen'd last night, 'Lizbeth?"

Elizabeth frowned at him. "Raph, I don't know what you are… "

"Ya collapsed!" Raphael snapped, his eyes taking on an angry hue Elizabeth was unfamiliar with, she tried to pull away from him, but Raphael was having none of it, his arm tightened around her body, pinning her to him, refusing to release her. "Donny couldn't tell me what caused it. So yer the one that's gotta. What happen'd?"

"I… I don't know… I can't remember," Elizabeth said straining against Raphael's hold on her again.

Raphael's face darkened and his eyes became narrowed slits. "I tink ya do."

"Get off me," Elizabeth snapped jerking away. To her relief Raphael let her go. Elizabeth rolled off the bed in one quick movement and was across the room in the next, panting slightly as she leaned against the wall, her arms curled around her upper torso as if that alone would protect her from Raphael's demanding eyes.

"'Lizbeth," Raphael said his voice just as gruff as before, though his eyes softened a little.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Raphael." Elizabeth snapped again, her eyes flashing a little.

Raphael froze, staring at her with a mix of irritation and anger before he rose off the bed so quickly that Elizabeth missed the movement. "That's right ya don't – ya can handle everyting on yer on right?"

Something churned in Elizabeth's gut at the hurt hidden behind the anger in Raphael's voice. Raphael stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and turning towards the door.

"Raph," Elizabeth called after him but he didn't pause. He jerked the door open and stormed out, letting the door slam shut behind him.

Elizabeth shuddered and wrapped her arms tighter around herself. The room felt empty and cold without Raphael there with her – but she had never seen him so angry. Not at her anyway. And it honestly frightened her a little. The way his amber eyes pierced right through her, demanding answers that Elizabeth was terrified to give.

Tears tracked down her cheeks, and even though she brushed them away impatiently, more quickly took their place.

She knew she'd have to tell him – after everything he and his brothers had done for her she should at least be honest with them. But if she were going to be honest with herself she knew that the date had caught her off guard. She had lost track of the time completely being down here with Raphael and his family. Her days, once filled with fear and pain, were now so easy and ran so smoothly for the most part. At night she felt warm and safe instead of trapped and desperate.

Elizabeth moved slowly across the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. She rubbed the goose bumps off her arms with her hands, shivering a little in the cool room.

She couldn't remember collapsing. She remembered Mikey and Raph talking about Thanksgiving now though, but everything after that had been a blank. She shivered again. She had to tell him – she knew that. He had to know. And she knew she'd feel better when she did. The anger and hurt in his eyes when she'd snapped at him had hit her more deeply than any of Graham's physical blows ever had.

Making up her mind Elizabeth hurried to the door, wrenched it open, and was surprised to still see Raphael. He was standing in front of the dojo, talking in low whispers to Leonardo who was frowning. Both brothers paused when Elizabeth exited her room, looking at her – both of their eyes were suspicious. But there was a slight difference in their expressions. Raphael still looked angry and upset at Elizabeth's sharp words, while Leonardo looked stressed and angry. His normally relaxed jaw was clenched and his eyes were narrowed behind his blue mask.

"Raph? Can I… can I speak with you a minute?" Elizabeth asked tentatively.

Raphael cocked an eye ridge at her.

Elizabeth's eyes darted to a now scowling Leo and back to Raphael again. "Please? It's… it's important."

"I'll be right in, 'Lizbeth," Raphael said rather gruffly.

Elizabeth bit her lip but nodded, ignoring the dark look Leo shot her she turned and headed for the kitchen. She could barely ignore the protesting of her empty belly, with dinner being forfeit last night and without any idea on how long she'd slept Elizabeth wasn't surprised by her ravenous hunger. She pulled out the griddle and the pancake mix along with some eggs, milk, butter, and blueberries. She dropped a spoonful of butter onto the griddle and began to mix up some of the pancake mix.

She had just finished mixing up the pancake mix and added the blueberries when Raphael stepped into the kitchen. His body language was not friendly, and the expression on his face told Elizabeth he was still angry.

"What do ya wanna talk 'bout, 'Lizbeth? Leo wants us in da dojo fer trainin' – and he ain't gonna be happy if I keep 'im waitin'."

Elizabeth stirred the blueberries into the mix slowly, biting her lip, and resisting the urge to cry. From the cold way Raphael was addressing her he wouldn't be patient with her out of control hormones. Still it didn't stop a few tears from stinging the corners of her eyes.

Raphael sighed. "If ya ain't gonna tell me… " he began wearily.

"Raph, I… about last night… the date caught me off guard." Elizabeth mumbled.

Raphael's eyes narrowed but he didn't move from where he stood, leaning against the kitchen entrance.

Elizabeth looked up from the pancake batter and blinked at the angry turtle. "I didn't mean to scare you – and I didn't mean to make you angry this morning. After everything you and your brothers have done for me – after everything you've given up to protect me. I should have been honest with you."

Elizabeth's hands began to shake and her grip on the bowl slipped. It probably would have landed on the floor but a pair of dark green hands caught the bowl and set it safely on the counter.

"What is it yer tryin' ta tell me?" Raphael's voice was softer now, more inviting. Still he did not touch her.

Elizabeth felt something in her chest cracking, she wanted him to touch her. To hold her. To tell her that everything would be ok. But he wasn't, he was staring at her with a mixture of anger and confusion. His arms crossed in front of him, his eyes narrowed behind his mask.

"Graham and I… " Elizabeth paused when she heard Raphael's sharp breath, but she forced herself to continue. "Our… our wedding anniversary falls on Thanksgiving this year. When you and Mikey brought it up – I hadn't realized it was so close."

More tears leaked from Elizabeth's eyes. She had no desire to wipe them away this time.

And then suddenly his arms were around her, crushing her to him in fierce protective embrace. "'Lizbeth, why didn't ya just say dat in da first place?"

A sob tore free from Elizabeth's throat and she clutched at his plastron, her fingers digging into the soft skin beneath, but he didn't seem to notice – or care.

"I… I don't know," she sobbed burying her face against his plastron.

"Raph? You comin'? Leo's startin' to… " Michelangelo trailed off. "Elizabeth? You ok?"

"Tell Leo I'll be der in a minute, Mikey," Raphael said turning to look at his brother over his shoulder.

"Sure, Raph," Michelangelo agreed easily. He gave Elizabeth another worried glance that she didn't see and then hurried back to the dojo.

"I can't keep you from practice, Raph. I think I'm already in hot water with… with Leo."

"Leo ain't mad at ya," Raphael reassured her pulling away slightly. He held her eyes for a long moment and Elizabeth saw the truth in them.

"But the way he looked at me earlier… " Elizabeth said, confused now.

"I'll talk ta 'im. It ain't yer fault." Raphael gestured to the mixing bowl and the now very hot griddle. "Ya'd better get something ta eat – ya didn't have dinner and Donny'll have my shell if I make ya skip two meals."

"You aren't… you aren't mad at me are you, Raph?" Elizabeth asked, blinking the last of her tears away.

Raphael wiped them away with his thumb and leaned in to kiss her briefly. "I ain't mad at ya, 'Lizbeth."

Then he turned and hurried out of the kitchen in a move so fast Elizabeth almost missed it. She sighed and turned back to the pancake mix and began to pour six puddles of batter onto the griddle then she proceeded to pull out the carton on eggs and a package of bacon. She knew that all four of the turtles would be hungry by the time they finished their training session.

"Good morning, Miss Elizabeth," a quiet voice behind her, so unexpected that Elizabeth yelped and almost dropped the carton of eggs as she whirled around to come face to face with Splinter.

"Raphael was very worried about you last night – I hope you are feeling better," Splinter said gently.

Elizabeth nodded feeling heat creep into her cheeks. Had her collapse really been that dramatic last night? "I am, thank you, Splinter."

Splinter made his way across the kitchen and filled the tea kettle, then set it on the stove to warm up while he pulled out a mug that had seen better days and a tea bag. "I had been hoping to have the opportunity to speak to you alone again, Miss Elizabeth."

Elizabeth cringed. Was he expecting her to have an answer to his question on whether or not she'd decided to stay or leave the lair?

"I fear I acted as the protective father, only having Raphael's heart in mind when I asked you to make the decision on whether or not you should decide to leave our home. But I can see now that you care for my son just as strongly as he cares for you. I ask you to forgive me, Miss Elizabeth. I judged you too early it seems."

Elizabeth's mouth fell open and she scrambled around for a moment trying to remember how to close it. "Splinter, I… I don't – there's nothing to forgive. I understand you wanted to protect Raphael. I can't blame you for wanting that. You have raised a very fine son – all of them actually."

Splinter closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly. "Domo arigatou, Miss Elizabeth."

"Domo… what?" Elizabeth asked her brows knitting together.

Splinter chuckled quietly. "I said thank you, Miss Elizabeth. No father could as for finer praise."

"Well you deserve it," Elizabeth said, as she turned to flip the pancakes which had turned a perfectly golden brown. "I can't imagine raising four boys by myself – I'm nervous about having just one." She laid her hand against her abdomen and rubbed it thoughtfully.

"The path of a parent is not always an easy one," Splinter admitted as the tea kettle made the sharp piercing shriek to announce that the water was done. Splinter removed it and pour the hot water into his mug. "But in life there are very few things that can compare to the reward of raising a child."

"How did you do it, Splinter? If I may ask? But by yourself – and with the four of them? I'm sure they were a lot to handle for one parent alone."

Splinter laughed quietly and took a seat at the table with his mug. "It was not always easy, Miss Elizabeth. And there were times that I wondered how I found myself suddenly in charge of not only my own life but four others as well. But with time I learned how to harness their energies and put them to good use. Training them in the art of ninjitsu helped them to focus their minds and bodies. But still there were times that I still felt overwhelmed, they were a very lively bunch - always so full of energy and I was often worn out long before they were."

Elizabeth laughed as she slid the pancakes off the griddle and poured six more puddles onto it. "I can imagine, I'm sure Mikey especially kept you on your toes."

Splinter laughed again. "Michelangelo was always the most creative of his brothers, the most rambunctious. He never liked to sit still for very long. I had a very hard time getting him to focus when it came time to train or study – something he still struggles with. His mind often wanders and it hard to engage it again once he is distracted."

Elizabeth smiled, it sounded like Michelangelo hadn't changed much. He had become so distracted with what he had been doing the night before he'd forgotten all about the food that was in the oven. "What were the others like?"

"Leonardo was always very disciplined, taking responsibilities onto his shoulders that always seemed too heavy for one so young. Even at a very early age he took responsibility for his brothers' safety. I remember one night I had been out scavenging for food to find that a lamp I had managed to save from the dump had been broken by a Frisbee. I had instructed Michelangelo not to play with it in the living room but before I could scold him Leonardo admitted to the crime."

Elizabeth, in the middle of turning the pancakes, almost dropped the pancake she was holding in shock. "He what?"

"He told me it had been him that had broken the lamp, I was surprised, but Leonardo never did falter in his story. It was only later, after the others had gone to bed, that Michelangelo came into my chambers and confessed the truth. I told him that I had already known the truth, but because Leonardo had taken the blame to protect his brother and Michelangelo confessed the truth I did not punish him. I was proud that he was willing to take responsibility for his actions."

"Donatello has not changed much," Splinter said as he sipped at his tea. "He was building his own toys to play with not long after I began to teach them ninjitsu. He showed a promising talent even then – his brothers didn't really come to appreciate his gifts until they were a little older and the toys Donatello built became more impressive. But Donatello has always been compassionate – much like Michelangelo they are more laid back than their brothers."

Elizabeth poured the last of the pancake batter into a final puddle and then started to seperate the strips of bacon. "So what was Raph like?"

"Raphael liked to tease his brothers – often stealing the toy they were playing with or encouraging them to follow him on the little adventures he planned for them. Most of the time his brothers would go along with him."

Splinter paused. Then looked up to meet Elizabeth's gaze. "He has always been the most guarded of my sons. He hides his emotions with anger, and has never opened up to anyone easily. I feared when he brought you down here, Miss Elizabeth, that Raphael had made a rash and foolish decision in bringing you here. We had no idea who you were, or if you would betray us to the surface world. But for reasons I couldn't understand I felt as though Raphael had his reasons for bringing you here. I never thought my sons would be able to have what Raphael has with you. You have brought out a new side of my son that even his brothers hadn't seen before. I know my son cares deeply for you, Miss Elizabeth, and I am sorry for my rash actions earlier."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Please don't apologize, Splinter. You were protecting your family – any good father would do the same. My dad… he was really upset when I told him I wanted to move to the city. He told me it was too far away from home, that it wasn't necessary for me to be so far away. But I didn't want to listen. And I didn't want to listen to him when Graham and I got engaged. He wasn't happy – I don't think he ever liked Graham and he had his reasons. I suppose he could see through Graham's charade while I was blinded by the glamour of being engaged to him. I was caught up in the moment."

Splinter's ears went flat against his head and his black eyes seemed to darken a little. "Have you not spoken to your father since your marriage, Miss Elizabeth?"

"We don't talk very often," Elizabeth admitted. "Graham would always monitor my calls – I had no idea how controlling he was until we were on our honeymoon. I haven't seen my parents in a long time."

"Have you not thought about returning to them?"

"I was too scared, when I tried to leave Graham the first time I had planned on going home – I missed our small farm in Pennsylvania anyway. I missed the horses," Elizabeth sniffed and dabbed at her eyes. Splinter pretended not to notice the emotions swimming in her eyes as she continued. "But Graham caught me – he really hurt me that time and when I woke up in the hospital he promised me that if I tried to leave again I'd end up in the hospital, but down in the morgue. I had no doubt that he was serious so I didn't try to leave again, and I was too scared to call my parents. I couldn't go to the police – Graham has friends there, he's paid some of them off. I'm not sure which ones, it is always under the table, but he's got them in his pocket."

"Such men are very dangerous adversaries," Splinter said rising to rinse out his now empty mug. "Graham is a dangerous man because he cares not who he has to hurt to get what he wants."

"Splinter, you know I'd rather die than let them hurt them again don't you?"

Splinter turned, giving Elizabeth a rather startled look. "Elizabeth, we do not wish for you to put yourself in harm's way to protect us."

Elizabeth shook her head. "He tried to kill Donny once – I couldn't stand it if he hurt one of them. He won't stop – he knows about you now. Graham doesn't just get over things, if someone crosses him he'll stop at nothing until he's won."

"Miss Elizabeth, my sons have been trained in the art of ninjitsu so they can look after themselves and protect those who need protecting," Splinter sat down next to Elizabeth, and to her surprise he gently took one of her hands in his soft paws. "I believe my son cares for you very deeply, Miss Elizabeth. If something were to happen to you I fear how Raphael would react."

Elizabeth felt a lump form in her throat. "I wouldn't want him to get hurt because of me, Splinter."

"You care deeply for Raphael and for his brothers," Splinter said bowing his head again. "As long as you stay here Elizabeth we can keep you safe. But I fear that you are still conflicted with your decision on the matter I had talked to you about earlier. I can see the hesitancy in your eyes and the indecision. You must decide what you are to do, Miss Elizabeth. For as long as you stay here you are safe – but in the outside world we would never be accepted and so our protection over you would be limited."

"I understand, Splinter. Thank you."

"I smell food!"

Michelangelo sniffed loudly as he came into the kitchen, stretching his arms up over his head and grinning at Elizabeth. "Ya made breakfast?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Let me finish up the eggs and we'll be ready to eat."

"Great," Michelangelo beamed. "I'll help."

* * *

><p>Elizabeth retreated to the bedroom that afternoon, closing the door behind her and hoping to have some time alone. The turtles took it as a sign she wanted to be alone and didn't disturb her, although on occasion Raphael would shoot a worried look at the closed bedroom door.<p>

"Relax, Raph," Michelangelo said calmly from where he sat in front of the TV watching as a couple of cartoon gangsters ran across the screen shooting at least fifty bullets per shot at the sheriff who was trying to catch them.

"You relax ya, chuckle head," Raphael snapped.

"You nervous?" Michelangelo teased.

Raphael's hand smacked Michelangelo's head hard enough for the sound to echo around the room.

"Oww! Hey!" Michelangelo turned to glare at his brother, but Raphael had turned away, punching numbers on his shell cell. "Ya almost here?" He asked when the other line picked up.

Michelangelo watched as his brother paced across the room. He never saw Raphael so fidgety. Except of course when Leo had forbidden them from going topside due to weather conditions and Raphael was aching to stretch his legs. But this agitated pacing was different.

"Ok see ya in a minute – and tanks." Raphael snapped his phone shut and stuck it back in his belt.

"Raph?"

Raphael turned as Leonardo strolled into the room, his shoulders a bit stiff. "Have you talked to her yet? Does she know?"

Raphael shook his head. "I ain't had da chance ta talk ta 'er 'bout it yet, Leo."

Leonardo shot a glance towards the closed guest bedroom door. "She'll need to know, Raph. It's dangerous for her to go topside. With all those low level street punks looking for a big payoff the whole city will be looking for her. There won't be anywhere for her to hide – Graham will find her if she leaves."

"I heard ya da first ten times, Leo. I'll talk ta 'er."

Just then the elevator slid open and April and Casey emerged from within.

"Hey guys," April greeted them with a smile.

"April!" Michelangelo grinned from where he sat.

"Did ya get it?" Raphael asked jogging over to the couple.

"Good ta see ya too, Raph," Casey teased.

"Bonehead," Raphael growled but grinned at the vigilante.

"Yes, it's right here." April handed something to Raphael and he clenched it in his green hand.

"Tanks, April. I'll pay ya fer it later."

April shook her head. "Don't worry about it. It's beautiful. She'll love it."

"Raph," Leo started but Raphael waved him off.

"I'll talk ta 'er, Leo."

Leo nodded, obviously satisfied with the sincerity behind Raphael's words. He turned back to April and Casey as Raphael hurried towards the guest room.

Raphael knocked on the door, and waited until he heard Elizabeth call "come in" before he stepped inside, ignoring Michelangelo's eyes as they followed him into the room. He shut the door quietly behind him.

Elizabeth was sitting on the bed, one of April's old books in her hands and her long brown hair hanging limply around her shoulders. She had changed into a dark green t-shirt, one that was almost the exact color of his skin, and a loose pair of pajama bottoms after she'd showered earlier. She looked up when he entered the room and Raphael couldn't help but notice the way the shirt made her eyes stand out, he blinked, dazed for a moment and hesitated by the door.

Elizabeth gave him a puzzled look. "You know I don't bite, Raph," she teased.

Raphael huffed but crossed the room to the bed, sitting down next to her. He peered at her anxiously. "Ya feelin' better?"

Elizabeth set the book aside and reached out to put her hand on his arm. "I'm fine, Raph. I'm pregnant – not dying."

Raphael scowled at her choice of words but didn't comment. Elizabeth suppressed the urge to sigh. She'd never seen Raphael so uncomfortable.

"Raph, what is it?" She finally asked when Raphael didn't speak for several minutes. "Is everything ok?"

"'Lizbeth, ya know I… ya know I care 'bout ya – don't ya?"

Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat. What was he saying? Did he want her to leave? Did she do something that had jeopardized the whole family and now they didn't want her here anymore?

The thought of having to leave brought tears to her eyes and she couldn't find the will to force them away. But if this was what the others wanted she wouldn't fight their decision. Even though Splinter had told her she was welcome here she wouldn't stay if some of them wanted her to leave. She took her hand away from Raphael's arm, suddenly feeling cold.

Raphael's eyes snapped up to meet hers and suddenly he was crushing her to him. "'Lizbeth? What's wrong?"

"Do you… do you want me to leave?" Elizabeth choked out, forcing the words out even though every single one of them felt like someone was stabbing her in the gut.

"What!" Raphael pulled back, looking her in the eye. "No I don't want ya ta leave – not unless ya wanted ta go. We ain't gonna keep ya here 'gainst yer will, 'Lizbeth. But I don't want ya ta go."

Relief flooded Elizabeth and she smiled at him. "Really?"

Raphael nodded. "I didn't mean ta make ya feel like I was askin' ya ta leave. I just… " he hesitated again and that uncertain look crossed his face once more.

"Raph, you know you can tell me anything," Elizabeth said, reaching up to cup his face.

"I was… I was gonna wait ta give ya dis, but I didn't wanna wait anymore," Raphael finally said. He opened his hand to reveal what he'd hidden in his clenched fist.

Elizabeth's eyes went wide. A small velvet box sat on Raphael's hand, she lifted it from his hand with trembling fingers, not sure if she wanted to open it. The last time she'd seen a box like this Graham had been proposing to her.

"I picked dis out – and April picked it up fer me," Raphael explained as Elizabeth held the box in her trembling grasp.

Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly and opened the lid. She gasped and her eyes widened a little at what lay inside. "Oh, Raph, it is so beautiful."

"Ya like it?"

Elizabeth's eyes were glued to his gift. "I love it."

Elizabeth's fingers were no longer trembling as she stroked the gift that lay against the satin cushioning. She looked back up at Raphael. "Will you help me put it on?"

Raphael looked a bit surprised but pleased and he nodded.

Carefully Elizabeth pull the small silver chain and the pendant out of the box, she handed it to Raphael and then turned, pulling her hair up off her neck, giving him room to help her put it on.

Raphael had no trouble fastening the delicate catch with his large fingers, fastening it to the tightest link and then pulling Elizabeth's hands down from her hair, holding one of them while she turned back to face him.

The small snowflake pendant, embedded with diamonds, sat in the dip of her neck, glittering in the dull light.

"It looks good on ya," Raphael said smiling at her.

"Only because you were the one who gave it to me," Elizabeth said smiling back. She moved forward and curled up against him, sighed with contentment as Raphael wrapped his arms around her. "I love you, Raph."

Raphael smiled and stroked her hair, then lifted her chin so she was looking at him. He lowered his head and kissed her gently before pulling away again. "I love ya too, 'Lizbeth."

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><p><strong>The necklace that Raphael gave Elizabeth is not a really expensive necklace - April just used a spare velvet box she had to keep it in so she knew where it was. The necklace is a shapped like a snow flake that has diamonds covering every inch of the front part, varying in sizes on a delicate silver chain. And while it isn't expensive it is very pretty, and Elizabeth knowing that the turtles don't have a lot of money this gift meant a lot to her. See you next time. :D<strong>


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Somebody let's the cat out of the bag in this chapter and Elizabeth acts about as well as can be expected. Hope everyone enjoys the chapter. I will work on the next one again soon I promise. Thanks again to those of you who take the time to review I appreciate it. :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

Despite her reassurances to Raphael that she was fine Elizabeth spent most of the next few days in the guest room, only reluctantly emerging when Raphael insisted that she eat something or when she needed to use the restroom as the growing baby inside her put increasing pressure on her bladder. She could tell that the turtles were worried about her behavior, Raphael especially, but none of them pressed her about it.

When Thanksgiving finally arrived Elizabeth met the day with dread. She was tempted to just stay locked up in her room again, but she knew that it would be rude to ignore the turtles and their guests so she reluctantly strayed to the kitchen where Michelangelo was hard at work.

Michelangelo's bright blue eyes lit up when he saw Elizabeth and he gave her a warm smile that Elizabeth found impossible not to return.

"Hey, dudette, ya want some breakfast?"

Elizabeth fought down the urge to make a face. Her stomach, already churning violently under the stress, gave a violent lurch and she had to fight the urge not to run to the bathroom to relieve herself of last night's dinner.

Michelangelo frowned, turning away from whatever he'd been working on. "Elizabeth? You ok? You look kind of pale."

Elizabeth forced herself to smile. "I'm fine, Mikey. I just don't feel like having breakfast this morning."

Michelangelo's frowned darkened. "Elizabeth, you barely… " He trailed off, knowing arguing with her was pointless. Over the past couple months the turtles had learned Elizabeth had a stubborn streak that could equal Leo or Raph's when she wanted it to. There was simply no point in trying to get her to do something she didn't want to do.

"What are you making?" Elizabeth asked looking at the mixing bowl Michelangelo had been working with.

"Stuffing – April and Case should be here with the turkey any time," Michelangelo said turning back to his bowl and began to stir the contents again.

Elizabeth inhaled deeply. "It smells great."

Michelangelo grinned. "Wait 'til ya taste it."

Elizabeth laughed quietly. "So what can I do to help?"

Michelangelo's eyes narrowed in consideration for a moment while he added an egg to the concoction he was stirring.

"I make a killer apple pie," Elizabeth grinned as Michelangelo's eyes lit up with delight.

"You can make pie?" Michelangelo spun so fast to look at her he almost knocked the mixing bowl off the counter. Luckily he was able to catch it before his precious stuffing fell onto the floor.

Elizabeth stifled the urge to laugh, knowing Michelangelo probably wouldn't appreciate her laughing at his expense. "Apple, banana cream, homemade vanilla pudding, chocolate, blueberry, and strawberry," Elizabeth said listing off the pies that came to mind.

"Mmm, I love pie!" Michelangelo said with so much enthusiasm that Elizabeth couldn't not laugh at him.

"Hand me the flour and sugar then and I can get started on the crust," Elizabeth said once she was able to control herself again. Michelangelo handed her the ingredients readily and Elizabeth went to the other side of the small kitchen to get to work and as not to get in Michelangelo's way.

Measuring out the proper amount of flour and sugar and mixing in some warm water Elizabeth began to sing quietly to herself, filling the silence between them.

"My name it is Maria, a merchant's daughter fair. And I have left my parents and three thousand pounds a year. Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be, who love a jolly sailor who ploughs the raging sea. While up aloft a storm from me his absence mourn, and firmly pray, arrive the day, he never more will roam."

Elizabeth removed her wedding ring from her finger and set it aside before digging her fingers into the sticky dough and began to knead it thoroughly.

"My heart is pierced by cupid – I disdain all glittering gold. There is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor… ack!"

Strong arms had wrapped around her waist and crushed her to a muscular body, taking her completely by surprise.

She heard the two brothers laughing and turned around to glare at Raphael. He didn't seem the least bit concerned by her angry glare.

"Raph, how many times do I have to tell you not to do that!" Elizabeth said, swatting him playfully on the arm.

Ignoring Michelangelo's snicker Raphael leaned down and pressed his mouth against her lips gently for a moment. "Sorry, 'bout dat. I couldn't help it – I never heard ya sing before. Yer really good at it."

Elizabeth blushed. "Raph… "

Raphael silenced her with another brief kiss and pulled her tighter to him. Well as close as he could pull her to him. Elizabeth sighed and rested her head against his plastron for a brief moment listening to his heart beating in its soothing rhythm she had come to know as well as her own. It beat faithfully inside his chest and she placed her hand against the smooth plates that made up his plastron, once again amazed at how beautiful he was, despite the little nicks and scars he had covering his body.

Raphael's hand traced the soft skin on her neck, stopping at the dip where the snowflake necklace he'd given her sat. Elizabeth shivered as warmth crept up her spine at his touch and she smiled at him, despite her irritation at his startling her.

Someone cleared his throat and Elizabeth jerked away from Raphael automatically.

Leonardo was standing in the kitchen doorway, his normally warm brown eyes seemed distant and he was giving Raph a look of disapproval. He turned to Elizabeth, his expression solemn.

"Elizabeth, there is something that my brothers and I need to discuss with you."

Elizabeth went cold and her eyes widened in fear and surprise. What had she done? Were the turtles going to ask her to leave? If that was what they wanted she wouldn't stay here against their will – but the thought of leaving Raphael terrified her.

"Leo, can't dis wait?"

"If you'd talked to her about this two days ago when I told you to then she would already know," Leonardo snapped his eyes flashing angrily.

Confused Elizabeth stepped away from Raphael's embrace, he let her go without a fight. "Leo, what's this about? What hasn't Raph told me?"

"Leo," Raphael said his tone rather stiff but Leonardo ignored him.

"Elizabeth, Graham has told the police that you've taken a lot of money from him when you ran away. Money that he wants returned – money he is willing to give a reward out for. The police are looking for you and because of the wanted posters that have been posted around the city with your picture on them so is every other lowlife looking for a handout." Leonardo held out a crumpled piece of paper, one that looked like it had been balled up, unfolded, and then scrunched up again in angry hands. Elizabeth took it with trembling fingers.

The picture on it was one she recognized, one before Graham had started physically striking her. Before the haunted look had seeped into her eyes. This was back when her face had been fuller, her brown hair shiny with care, her eyes alive with the excitement of her new life, her skin was tight over her cheekbones, but slightly rounded and pink. Elizabeth tore her eyes away from her own face and read the words printed in bold black text.

WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ELIZABETH BENSON COOPER

Underneath that was a number to call and a reward for bringing her in. The paper fell from Elizabeth's nerveless fingers quite suddenly and her legs threatened to give way. But just as her knees buckled strong arms once again caught her and helped her to a chair where she sank down heavily onto it.

"'Lizbeth, ya ok?" Raphael knelt in front of her, his eyes wide with stress and worry.

Elizabeth shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I… I can't stay here."

"What?" Raphael's voice was sharp with shock and hurt.

Elizabeth closed her eyes so she didn't have to look into his burning amber eyes. "I… I can't stay here and put you guys in danger again. Last time… last time Donatello was almost killed because of me. If Graham hurt any of you because of me I'd… I'd never be able to forgive myself."

"'Lizbeth, ya can't go back! Don't ya see dat's what he wants?" Raphael demanded gripping her shoulders firmly. "He wants ta kill ya – it ain't safe fer ya back der."

"And it isn't safe for you if I stay!" Elizabeth shot back her eyes snapping open. "I don't want anything to happen to you…" Her eyes tore away from Raphael for a moment to where Leonardo was hovering just behind his brother and Michelangelo who's expression was similar to the one Raphael had. "To any of you."

"We can take care of ourselves," Raphael said impatiently. "Ya can't face dat guy alone, 'Lizbeth. Ya almost didn't make it out last time – ya really want ta give 'im another chance ta kill ya?"

"Of course not, Raph," Elizabeth said quietly. "But do you really think I could live with myself if one of you got hurt… or worse because of me? It's just safer if I leave. I can go back to my parents."

"And ya don't tink dat da police are watchin' dem – or dat Graham won't look fer ya der?"

Elizabeth's mouth snapped shut and a few more tears ran down her cheeks but she wouldn't look Raphael in the eye. Raphael sent a sharp glare at Leonardo but then returned his attention to Elizabeth.

"'Lizbeth."

"Raph, just stop!" Elizabeth's head snapped up and she met his gaze evenly. "I'm not going to let you guys get hurt because of me again. Graham wants me not you! I can't stay here! I need to leave – the sooner the better."

With that Elizabeth rose from her seat, dodged around Raphael and hurried to the guest room where she slammed and locked the door behind her.

Raphael turned on his brother. "Now what are we gonna do 'fearless leader'?" He snapped his eyes flashing dangerously.

Leonardo sighed. "You know we can't let her leave, Raph. It's too dangerous."

"Yeah well ya shoulda t'ought 'bout dat before ya opened yer big mouth!"

"Raphael! Enough!" Splinter's sharp tone rang throughout the kitchen. All three brothers turned to stare at their father. "You will go and comfort, Miss Elizabeth. I believe that this news has upset her greatly and her fears are clouding her judgment. If she is to stay it will have to be you who convinces her, my son."

Raphael nodded grimly and hurried out of the kitchen. He tried the doorknob to the guest room vainly when he reached it but was unsurprised to find it locked. "'Lizbeth, can ya open da door?"

"Go away!" Elizabeth snapped on the other side.

Raphael frowned. "'Lizbeth, open da door."

"Just leave me alone!"

"Dat ain't gonna happen! Yer either gonna open da door or I'm gonna bust it in!" Raphael knew full well that Donatello would have his shell if he broke the door but at this point he didn't care. He was going to get in there one way or another. To his relief Elizabeth seemed to take his threat seriously and the door unlocked. Raphael turned the knob and stepped inside the room, shutting the door behind him.

Elizabeth was already across the room, hastily shoving her clothes into the bags Raphael had brought them in.

"'Lizbeth, ya can't leave."

"I can't stay here either!" Elizabeth snapped not bothering to look up from her task.

Raphael stormed across the room and caught her wrist, but his grip was gentle. "And what is it ya tink he's gonna do ta ya when he gets ya? Are ya tryin' ta get yerself killed? Are ya dat desperate ta die?"

Elizabeth tried to jerk her wrist free but Raphael's hand only tightened more firmly on it. "I'm not trying to get myself killed I'm trying not to get any of you killed! Now let go!" Elizabeth jerked her arm again but Raphael refused to let go.

"'Lizbeth, I keep tryin' ta tell ya dat we can take care of ourselves. Ya don't need ta worry 'bout us."

"He almost killed, Donatello!"

"Donny was alone. If ya haven't noticed we ain't dat easy ta take down. We ain't the ones ya ought ta be worryin' 'bout. If Graham gets ya he won't hesitate ta get rid of ya. I ain't gonna sit back an' watch dat happen!"

"Who are you to try and tell me what to do!" Elizabeth gave her arm another experimental tug but Raphael's grip held firm.

"I ain't gonna force ya ta stay if ya really want ta go. But I ain't gonna let ya go if yer gonna go out der ta get yerself killed cause yer worried dat Graham is gonna come after us."

Elizabeth scowled.

"'Lizbeth, I… I never t'ought I'd ever feel da way I feel I do fer someone other den my brothers and Master Splinter. But if somethin' happened ta ya – I… I don't know what I'd do. Yer… yer one of da best tings in my life. I don't want ta lose ya."

Elizabeth stopped struggling and met Raphael's amber gaze.

"'Lizbeth, please," Raphael's tone was much softer now, pleading in a way that Elizabeth had never heard from him before. She stared into his burning amber eyes and saw the pain barely concealed there. "I don't want ya ta go."

Elizabeth broke into sobs then, and instinctively she leaned forward to press her face against Raphael's cool skin. Raphael finally released Elizabeth's wrist and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm scared," Elizabeth whispered into Raphael's plastron.

"He ain't gonna touch ya," Raphael promised her grimly.

"I… I didn't take that money, Raph. You know I didn't take it don't you?" Elizabeth leaned back a little blinking more tears out of her eyes as she stared up at him with a pleading expression.

"I know ya didn't – he's just usin' dat as an excuse ta get people ta look fer ya. But it ain't gonna work ain't no one gonna find dis place unless we want dem to. Donny's got all kinds of camouflage in da sewers to hide it and dis place is sound proof. Anyone could probably stare right at da front door and not know what dey were lookin' at. Yer safe here."

"But what about the others? Are you sure they'll want me to stay?" Elizabeth asked as she buried her face against Raphael's plastron again.

"Of course dey want ya ta stay," Raphael said his tone a bit dark.

"But… Leo," Elizabeth bit her lip and found she couldn't finish her question.

"Leo was just tryin' ta let ya know what was goin' on. He didn't want ya ta find out on yer own by watchin' da news or someting. None of us want ya leavin' da lair – we don't tink it's safe fer ya out der in da city with all dem lowlifes lookin' fer ya. Dat's all he was tryin' ta tell ya."

"He… he really doesn't want me to leave?" Elizabeth asked shocked.

Raphael pulled away slightly and gently grasped her chin, pulling her face up so she had to face him. "None of dem want ya ta go, 'Lizbeth. Yer family now – an' we protect our family."

"But what if Graham goes after you guys again to get to me?"

"Den he's gonna be sorry he ever met ya. I was sorry I wasn't der ta meet 'im da last time. It ain't gonna happen again. If he wants a piece of ya he's gonna have ta go t'rough us first." His eyes softened and he gently stroked her cheek with his finger. "'Sides I don't tink Leo's too happy with 'im. Leo don't forgive threats on our family easily and he ain't forgot what Graham almost did ta Donny – and ta you. He told me later when we were waitin' fer you ta wake up dat it took a lot of restraint not ta kill Graham right den."

"Why didn't he? He certainly had a right to with what he almost did to Donny."

Raphael shook his head. "Fearless is da most disciplined of da four of us – but none of us kill unless we gotta. Ya can't give a life back after ya take it from someone."

"Have you… have you killed anyone before?"

Raphael hesitated, his eyes searching her face for a moment before he gave her a brief nod. "Ya – I have."

Elizabeth's expression was carefully blank. "What happened?"

Again Raphael hesitated, and he took longer to answer her question this time – as if not sure he should tell her, while calculating her reaction. "Da four of us were out on patrol an' we ran into da foot."

"The foot?"

"It's a street gang – run by da biggest back stabber in da city," Raphael growled through his teeth, his eyes taking a strange dangerous expression that made shivers run up Elizabeth's spine. "We were outnumbered but we were holdin' our own – but we were separated. I didn't like it so I tried ta see where da others were. Leo was on da other side of da roof we were on fightin' six or seven of 'em, someting had happen'd ta 'is left arm cause he wasn't usin' it but I couldn't tell what it was from where I was standin'. He seemed ok so I looked fer da others. Donny was holdin' 'is own too – he didn't seem ta be havin' too much trouble but Mikey was in trouble. Da foot were gangin' up on 'im, and he was hurt. I fought ta get ta 'im an' got der just in time ta stop one of dem from drivin' der tanto t'rough 'is neck. I didn't hesitate – I took care of 'im. He tried ta kill my brother I wasn't gonna give 'im a second chance at it."

"Was he the only one you… ?" Elizabeth, Raphael noticed, didn't look afraid but a look of complete understanding had crossed her face.

He frowned a little. "No. But we don't kill unless we have no other choice, 'Lizbeth."

Elizabeth nodded. "You value life and your honor. I understand."

Raphael cocked an eye ridge and watched her carefully. He'd just admitted that he had killed, on more than one occasion, and she was acting as if it were no more exciting than him swatting a fly.

"Dat don't bug ya?"

Elizabeth met his eyes. "What? That you'd kill to protect your family? If those men seriously meant to hurt you or any of your brothers I don't blame you, Raph. I'd do the same for my brother."

"Ya got a brother?"

Elizabeth nodded. "His name is Samuel – he likes going by his full name because he got tired of everyone calling him Sammy." She smiled a little but her eyes were sad. "I haven't seen him for such a long time, I've almost forgotten what he looks like."

"Didn't he ever come see ya?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Graham didn't like my family to interfere with our marriage. The last time I saw Sam it was on our wedding day."

"Ya haven't talked ta 'im at all?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "He gets busy – he'll call once in a while to tell me about a new girl he's dating or his new job. He updates me about the horses at home. My mare Calypso foaled a few months ago, Sam said the filly is really rambunctious and full of spirit." Elizabeth laughed. "He sent me a picture but when Graham saw it he tore it up and burned it."

Raphael ground his teeth together and the muscles in his jaw tensed.

"I really miss the horses," Elizabeth said with a sigh. She smiled up at Raph. "I bet you'd be good at riding."

Raphael snorted. "I ain't gonna make a fool of myself by climbin' up on no smelly horse."

Elizabeth laughed. "Your shell might make it a little hard for you anyway."

Raphael rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead gently.

"Raph!"

Alarmed at her startled and surprised tone Raphael glanced down at her face. Elizabeth was staring at awe at her bulging belly. "I… I felt her kick." She placed her hand on her belly and touched where she'd felt the movement from inside her. Raphael place his hand next to Elizabeth's.

"How do ya know it's a 'er?"

"Because Graham really wanted a boy so until proven otherwise it's a girl," Elizabeth said. She rubbed her belly gently and she felt a nudge against her hand again. Raphael's eyes widened and Elizabeth grinned, knowing he'd felt it too.

"She likes you," Elizabeth said quietly as Raphael's hand moved against her belly and Elizabeth felt the baby kick his hand again.

Raphael met her eyes and smiled.

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><p>Elizabeth lay in Raphael's lap in front of the many TV sets several hours later, his large fingers stroked her long dark hair softly and Elizabeth found the rhythm in which his fingers moved was soothing. She smiled as Michelangelo clicked lazily through the many stations as he searched for something to watch.<p>

Thanksgiving hadn't been as bad as she'd thought it would be. After spending several more quiet minutes together Elizabeth and Raphael had emerged from the bedroom and Elizabeth had returned to the kitchen to finish making her pies. To Michelangelo's delight Elizabeth made not only apple pie but banana cream and a rich chocolate pudding pie complete with whip cream and chocolate curls.

Dinner had been amazing, Michelangelo's stuffing was by far the best Elizabeth had ever tasted and April's sweet potatoes were delightfully tasty. After dinner Elizabeth and Michelangelo had entertained each other by playing another game of canasta. As Elizabeth had predicted Michelangelo had learned a lot since the first time they had played and Elizabeth found herself now facing a more competent player. Elizabeth still managed to win the game, but it had been close. Michelangelo had reluctantly handed over a candy bar, but to his surprise Elizabeth simple opened the candy, broke it in half and gave him half, telling him he'd played a good game and deserved half the spoils of victory. Especially since he had really had her on her toes during the second hand when he'd played a hidden hand and had almost gone out before she'd even gotten her cards on the table. If he had he would have easily won the game.

After a couple hours with easy laughter and quiet conversations Michelangelo had insisted on bringing out the pies. Elizabeth had had a feeling that he had been thinking about those pies for hours but had restrained himself, but just barely, because the others were still so full from dinner.

Michelangelo had helped himself with a piece of each kind, but everyone else only took one slice of their desired choice. Elizabeth had watched in mild fascination as Michelangelo had devoured slice after slice, returned to the kitchen and had come back with three more slices. Elizabeth was surprised he had enough room for all that pie – he'd easily eaten just as much as the rest of them had at dinner and after one slice of pie, even with her pregnant belly and increasing appetite she couldn't eat anything else if she wanted to.

After pie April and Casey had said their goodbyes and headed for home. Leonardo had headed for the dojo and Donatello had disappeared into his lab. Raphael had gently taken Elizabeth by the hand and had lead her to the entertainment center to watch a movie. Not long after that Michelangelo had joined them and because Elizabeth and Raphael hadn't decided on what to watch Michelangelo had volunteered to find something the three of them could enjoy. Elizabeth knew that Raphael had his misgivings, and she was sure that Michelangelo's idea of good and Raphael's idea of good were complete opposites. Still she was content where she was, she really didn't need a movie anyway. Her eyelids drooped a little as Raphael wound his fingers through her hair again and gently pulled them through the silky strands.

"How 'bout this one, Raphy?" Michelangelo asked.

Elizabeth pulled her heavy eyelids back to see what Michelangelo had selected. It appeared to be some cartoon she was unfamiliar with.

"How 'bout ya leave it on dis and I'll whack ya upside da head?" Raphael countered.

Leonardo's soft chuckle surprised Elizabeth' and she whipped her head around to see the blue-banded turtle standing behind the couch with a patient smile on his face and his warm brown eyes were bright behind his mask.

"Why don't you put in the movie April left, Mikey?"

Michelangelo frowned and help up a DVD case. "This one?"

"I'm good with dat," Raphael agreed.

"I thought you would be," Leonardo laughed again. He made his way around the couch and sat on Raphael's other side. Elizabeth felt a little awkward with Leonardo sitting so close but before she could start to pull away Raphael's grip tightened momentarily, as if he sensed her discomfort. Elizabeth hesitated then relaxed again when he began to play with her hair again.

Michelangelo popped the DVD into the player and picked up the bowl of popcorn he'd popped for himself and settling himself on the floor.

Elizabeth felt herself drifting off as the movie started and the actors voices began to lull her to sleep.

She didn't know how long she was out for but slowly she began to register voices again.

"You got her?"

"Ya I got 'er, Leo."

"Man she slept through the best parts."

"Can it, Mikey."

Elizabeth felt strong arms lifting her, pressing her to a muscular body and the odd sensation of rocking as if she were swaying gently on a boat and then she was weightless again for a moment before she was lowered onto something soft and warm. She felt a blanket being pulled over her shoulders and then whatever she was laying on shifted slightly as someone joined her.

A familiar scent. The scent of something comforting and safe. A large muscular arm over her stomach, pulling her closer to him. Elizabeth sighed, content, and let herself drift off once more.

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><p><strong>The song Elizabeth is singing is My Jolly Sailor Bold. <strong>


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys. I had hoped on getting this chapter up yesterday. But things were a little crazier than I expect last week and I didn't have time to write. And when I did start to write the chapter I had only gotten half a page written and I realized I couldn't keep writing because it was so boring. LOL. It didn't inspire me to keep going, but around 12:30 this morning inspiration finally hit and I was able to punch out half the chapter before I was too tired to write anymore at about 4:30 this morning. LOL. But I got it done and this one has some much craved action in it I'm sure. I'll update again when I can I promise. Thank you again for the reviews guys - I really appreciate those who take the time to leave them. :) It makes me want to keep pushing through on this story. I'll see you again soon. Enjoy. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

"I don't want you to go." Elizabeth protested not for the first time that evening. She glared at the red-banded turtle, her normally bright green eyes were shooting daggers at Raphael's shell.

Raphael turned around, sliding his sai back into its place on his belt. "'Lizbeth, we've been cooped up in da lair fer weeks. We're just gonna go stretch our legs."

"I don't like it, Raph. What if Graham has men looking for you because of me?"

"Den we'll handle 'em. We can take care of ourselves, 'Lizbeth. Ya don't have ta worry. 'Sides Donny says he needs some stuff fer 'is equipment in da infirmary. We gotta pick dat up."

"Raph, please – I'm begging you don't go!"

Raphael shook his head. "'Lizbeth, I ain't gonna sit home while my brothers go out der and have all da fun. I gotta stretch my legs. 'Sides I'll do a lot more good if I'm with 'em if someting does 'appen."

Raphael started to walk past her but Elizabeth's hand shot out catching his arm. He paused, raising an eye ridge at her as if daring her to try and stop him.

"Raph, I just can't help feeling that something isn't right. Please – please! I don't like this."

"'Lizbeth, what is it dat's buggin' ya? What is it dat ya tink is gonna go wrong?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't know, but something just feels off. Please, Raph, I don't want to lose the one good thing I have in my life."

"I ain't goin' nowhere – but if yer right and my brothers run inta trouble I gotta be der. Ya understand dat don't ya?"

"Of course I do, Raph." Elizabeth was hurt that Raphael would think she would put herself before his brothers. "You know I don't want anything to happen to any of them."

"It's just fer a couple hours, 'Lizbeth. We'll be back before dawn." Raphael leaned forward and gave her a quick peck on the forehead. "Don't worry – Splinter is here with ya – ya won't be alone."

"I'm not worried about that," Elizabeth said quietly but with a tone of acceptance.

"Ya can watch a movie or someting – we'll be back before ya know it."

"You promise?"

Raphael cupped her cheek, running his large thumb over the soft skin there and watch in fascination while her cheeks turned pink and she looked away from his face. How had he gotten so lucky to have been in the right place at the right time to not only meet Elizabeth but to have the opportunity to get to know her so well? And on top of that not only to fall in love with her, but by some miracle she had fallen in love with him too. He let his hand fall to her neck, his finger straying to the snowflake pendant she had refused to be without ever since he'd given it to her. His fingers ran across the slightly rough surface and he used one finger to tilt her chin back so she had to look at him.

"I promise I'm comin' back, 'Lizbeth. Ain't nothin' gonna stop me from gettin' back ta ya."

Elizabeth leaned into him, burying her face against his plastron for several seconds before she pulled away and left the dojo without looking back.

Raphael let her go. He knew she wasn't happy about Graham having men searching for her – but he and his brothers were more than capable of handling themselves. Graham's men had been lucky to catch Don last time – he'd been alone and distracted. That wasn't going to happen again. If Raph had the chance he was going to take down every single one of Graham's men and then go after the jerk himself. He longed to introduce this Graham guy to the sharp end of his sai.

"Raph! You coming?" Leonardo's voice interrupted Raphael's dark thoughts.

"Ya – comin'."

Splinter was by the front door conversing with the others as Raphael jogged across the lair to join them.

"Be careful, my sons," Splinter said, something he always said whenever they went out. But Raphael didn't miss the shift in Splinter's eyes, the unmistakable unease that settled in those dark eyes. And from Leonardo's expression he hadn't missed it either. The brothers met each other's eyes and a silent agreement passed between them. They'd be extra cautious tonight, and would keep their eyes open for any danger, being hyper aware of everything around them. Not that they weren't anyways, a lifetime of drilling had always made them aware of when they were being followed or watched. It had saved their shells more than once, but as they left the lair and headed out into the sewer tunnels Raphael couldn't help but compare how Elizabeth's expression had been so close to Splinter's – as if they had both felt the same uneasiness and had let the four of them leave against their better judgment.

"You coming, Raph?" Leonardo called again, glancing over his shoulder at his brother, his brown eyes were narrowed slightly behind his mask, his face uneasy.

Raphael jogged to catch up with his brother just as Michelangelo climbed up to the manhole and slid it open before disappearing into the shadows, while the rest of them silently followed.

Raphael found keeping up with Michelangelo was often exhausting. Of the four of them Michelangelo was the fastest, his stamina and speed would often let him out distance his brothers. And when you added that to Michelangelo's charming personality and the insults he'd throw at you as you literally ate the dust he kicked up in your face it didn't make for very happy brothers and often they'd let Mikey jump ahead by a few buildings, close enough they could still hear his jubilant cries of exaltation but far enough away that they didn't feel the urge to whack him upside the head a few times. Especially when Michelangelo decided that his usual taunts weren't enough and he'd start rubbing it in their faces that he was the Battle Nexus Champion again. It didn't matter how many times Raph knocked him upside the head Michelangelo never seemed to get the point.

Tonight, however, Raphael felt ill at ease by letting Michelangelo get too far ahead of him, too far away for him to be immediately at his brother's side in case something went wrong. So instead he was building up an incredible sweat just trying to keep up with the youngest most energetic turtle.

"Come on, Raph, yer gonna have to go faster than that if you want to catch this turtle," Michelangelo couldn't resist teasing as he leapt for the next roof.

Raphael pushed himself faster, building up his velocity to give him the power he'd need to make the jump. He leapt from the edge of the roof and flipped neatly, landing perfectly on the next roof where Michelangelo was already halfway across, laughing wildly to himself. Raphael shook his head and glanced back to see where Leo and Donny were and was relieved to see them land gracefully onto the rooftop he'd just left.

Neither of them seemed to be as tired as he felt, but then again none of them was trying to pace Mikey either. Not that Raph hadn't been able to keep up with his brother at first but an hour into their run and even he had to admit he was getting tired.

"Mikey, hold up!" Leonardo called after their brother as he and Donatello landed beside Raph.

Michelangelo, almost ready to launch himself onto the next roof turned with a pout and reluctantly made his way back to his brothers. "We aren't heading back already are we, Leo?"

Leonardo shook his head. "No, but Don said he want to stop at the dump really quick and it is just two blocks back that way." Leonardo pointed to his right.

"Cool! Maybe they have some new comic books that someone threw away!" Michelangelo said, brightening at the prospect.

Raphael rolled his eyes but watched as Donatello and Michelangelo ran ahead of them. He was content to stay back and watch the rear with Leo while Donny tried to keep up with their energetic sibling. But to Donny's credit he paced Mikey well, Raph wasn't sure if that was because Donny was eager to get to the dump or because Mikey kept throwing cat calls at him.

"You see anything?" Leonardo asked quietly, his dark eyes were scanning the rooftops warily.

"Nothin' outta da usual," Raphael said, though his amber eyes too scanned the rooftops uneasily. "If anyting it seems ta be too quiet."

Leonardo nodded. "I was thinking the same thing."

"Ya tink somethin's up?"

"I don't know – but I don't like it," Leonardo admitted. "Come on lets catch up with Don and Mikey."

Raphael nodded and broke into a run, his brothers had gotten out of his sight now and an uneasiness had settled into the pit of his stomach. Something wasn't right, something was eating at him – like an itch under his shell that he couldn't reach. He couldn't quite place what it was – all he knew was that it was there.

Leonardo seemed to share his unease because his eyes kept darting around them at the surrounding rooftops as they hurried after their brothers.

"Leo! Raph!"

And there it was.

Raphael put on a burst of speed, willing his legs to pump as fast as they possibly could. Fear raced through him, faster than any adrenaline rush. Leo was right beside him, matching him step for step, his own eyes wide with fear.

It took them less than thirty seconds to find their brothers, and to their relief both of them were still standing and unharmed. However, the reason behind Donatello's distress was painfully clear as a mountain of a man emerged from the shadows, his bulk large enough to dwarf them all, his familiar blonde ponytail hung over one shoulder, his tattered black shirt with the ripped off sleeves revealing the tattoos on his arms. Both of them achingly familiar.

"Hun," Raphael growled through ground teeth. His sai were already in his hands and he spun them with the ease of an experienced fighter before he gripped the handles and his eyes narrowed to slits behind his mask.

Hun smirked at them and cracked his knuckles. "You turtles must have a knack for making enemies in high places."

Raphael growled low in his throat. Was Hun working for Graham now? It wouldn't surprise him Hun always gravitated towards people who could offer him something he wanted. Particularly those with money and power.

Leonardo stepped up beside him, his double katana already clenched in his hands.

Hun chuckled without humor, his eyes were dull and lifeless. "My new employer has only one request – hand over the girl."

"Dat ain't gonna happen!" Raphael snapped.

For the first time Hun looked pleased. "I was hoping you'd say that, turtle." He smirked as the shadows around them seemed to come to life. To his utter surprise Raphael found that these weren't purple dragons but someone entirely new. If he didn't know better he'd say they were the Foot, they wore dark outfits like the Foot and their masks hid their faces, but the symbol that was stitched into each of their outfits was wrong and it wasn't in the same place that the Foot symbol was.

"I was also told," Hun continued as more enemies emerged from the dark. "That if that were the case – that we were to retrieve the girl at any cost."

Raphael snarled under his breath, a low animalistic sound as one of the dark hooded figures approached him, their face hidden under their mask and a katana in their hand. He wasn't sure of where his brothers were at the moment but he knew he couldn't let himself be distracted either. He knew nothing about what they were facing against and Splinter had always warned them not to turn their back on an unknown enemy.

Raphael took another step back as his enemy stepped forward, he waited, sizing up his opponent. They were well built, muscular, but not half the size of Hun. Raphael ground his teeth together and lunged forward, feinting to the right, but his enemy saw through his rouse and sidestepped and tried to take Raph down with a spin kick, which Raph barely avoided. Raphael turned, his anger bubbling up inside his gut, fueling the fire that always burned there as he launched himself at the enemy again.

His opponent again managed to sidestep his attack and this time he brought his katana down towards Raphael's exposed neck just as Raphael turned. Raphael's sai caught the blade between its prongs. He could feel the force the masked man was putting behind his blows. Having sparred – and even fought with Leo Raphael had become an expert at feeling the effort one put behind their sword. And this man had put enough effort behind his blow that if Raph hadn't caught it he probably wouldn't have had a head anymore.

Raphael growled and leaned more heavily on the katana, feeling the metal give a little. A katana he knew could be broken by his sai if he applied the right pressure. He could feel the man jerk the katana, trying to pull it loose but Raph was having none of it, he twisted his sai ever so slightly and the katana snapped as easily as if he were breaking a chicken bone.

The man stepped back, looking down at his now useless weapon. Raphael leapt forward knocking the man to the ground and using the butt end of his sai to knock him out. His blood was boiling and he was half tempted to kill the man on principle alone but he wouldn't do it. Not yet. He turned to see how his brothers were faring but was quickly occupied himself as two more dark shadows leapt at him.

* * *

><p>"Splinter? Are you awake?" Elizabeth bit her lip, hesitant to bother the old rat but her sense of unease had increased tenfold and was distracting her so fully that she could no longer focus on the book she'd been reading.<p>

"Enter, Miss Elizabeth," Splinter's soft voice replied from the other side of the rice paper door.

Elizabeth slid the door open and stepped inside the small but comfortable room and knelt on the mat opposite the one Splinter was perched on. Splinter's whiskers twitched a little as she knelt but other than that he seemed to be focused on something else. His eyes were closed and his body tense.

"Splinter? Are you ok?" Elizabeth reached forward, as if to touch him but then thought better of it and placed her hand in her lap.

Splinter's eyes snapped open. "I fear something is not right, Miss Elizabeth. I fear for my sons."

Elizabeth felt her stomach clench so tightly she was afraid she might lose her dinner. "Do you know where they are?"

Splinter got to his feet as fast as his aging body would allow, grabbing his walking stick as he did. "No, but Donatello has devised a way to track them. I am not sure how to activate the device though."

Elizabeth followed Splinter out to the main part of the lair and towards Donatello's lab.

"Miss Elizabeth, do you think you'd be able to activate the tracking device?" Splinter asked, picking something up off of one of Donatello's tables and turning around to show it to her.

Elizabeth stared at the weird shell shaped object and then flipped it open. It appeared to be a small cell phone, but it was unlike any cell phone she'd ever seen before. She frowned, looking at the buttons that didn't have numbers on them. Knowing Donatello all of them probably had different functions. A red one, a yellow one, a blue one and a green. Pushing experimentally on the green one turned the phone on. Elizabeth allowed a small smile to grace her lips, but frowned again as she studied the other buttons. What one would activate a tracking device? She hesitated for a moment then pressed the yellow button and to her utter surprise a small map appeared on the screen, where a red light blinked just a block or so from where Elizabeth knew the dump was.

She looked up at Splinter who was waiting with strained patience. "I know where they are."

"Come," Splinter said turning at once and heading for the elevator. "I fear if we delay we will be too late."

Elizabeth didn't ask questions but hurried after Splinter, glancing down at the red blinking light on the screen again and silently praying that she and Splinter would get there in time.

* * *

><p>"Don! Mikey's hurt!" Leonardo growled through clenched teeth as he locked blades with two of the masked fighters. He'd seen Mikey go down and had gotten there just in time to stop one of the black clad fighters from finishing off his brother. The body now lay crumpled in a puddle of dark red blood but Leonardo hadn't blinked twice.<p>

On the other side of the roof Leonardo could see Raph was still holding his own as he fought two of these new black clad fighters on his own.

"I'm fine, Donny," Michelangelo protested from behind Leo when Donatello had knelt beside him. "Help Leo."

Leonardo shoved forward, breaking the locked swords and shot forward with a snap kick taking down one opponent before turning to catch the blade of the second once again.

Donatello had ignored Michelangelo's protests and had removed his mask to tie a tourniquet around Michelangelo's bicep to help slow the bleeding. "Just stay here, Mikey. We'll get you out of here."

He turned, snatched up his bo and leapt up to help his brother, taking out the man with a sharp blow from his bo. The man fell like a sack of potatoes that had been dropped from a ten story building and crumpled at the turtles' feet.

"Thanks, Don." Leonardo said turning his sights on Hun. "How's Mikey?"

"The wound is messy – he might need stitches but I won't know until I get a better look at it under better light."

Leonardo nodded grimly. "Go help Raph – I'll take care of Hun. We have to get out of here."

Donatello looked like he might protest but Leonardo never gave him the chance. He was across the roof in an instant and Hun had turned to face him, his smirk still planted on his face as if Leonardo was no more of a threat than an irritating fly that needed to be swatted away.

Donatello resisted the urge to back Leo up and instead turned to Raph who seemed to be the black fighters' main target as three more were approaching him, though warily as they stepped around their incapacitated comrades. Raphael swung at one but Donny could see that his brother was tiring and he knew at once why Leo had sent him to aid Raph and not back him up.

Donatello was across the roof in a few seconds swinging with his bo once again and striking several of the opponents with devastating blows. One of them crumpled, clinging to an obviously broken leg, Donatello was sure he'd heard a crack when his bo had hit. One of the other men had turned towards his swinging his katana angrily at him. Donatello caught the blade with his bo, frowning a little as the metal sank into the wood. Donatello jerked the bo and the man lost his grip on the katana as Donatello pulled it out of his hands then swung around to catch him in the gut with a side kick. The man went down and didn't get up again.

Raphael was panting, his body covered with sweat despite the cooler temperatures out here. "Whe… where's Leo and Mike?"

"Mikey's over there – Donatello pointed to where Michelangelo sat concealed in the shadows and Leo's… "

But at that moment Donatello realized that he didn't need to tell Raph where Leo was because Hun's triumphant laughter rang across the roof to them. Both brothers turned and watched in horror as Leo crumpled to the ground, his katana spinning away from him. Leo struggled to get to his feet but a sharp kick from Hun had him crumpling again and then Hun removed something from his pocket and tossed it at Leo.

"Leo! Look out!" Raphael yelled dashing forward but it was too late. He'd only taken two steps when the device beeped and the roof underneath Leonardo collapsed. Raphael felt someone grab his shoulder and snatch him back as more of the roof fell in and white dust filled the air in a heavy cloud. By the time it settled Hun was gone and Leo was nowhere in sight.

"NO! LEO!"

* * *

><p>Elizabeth jerked the wheel a little too hard to the left and blushed a little when Splinter grunted as he was jerked against his seatbelt.<p>

"Sorry, Splinter," Elizabeth said, although she'd been saying this a lot in the last ten minutes. She wasn't used to driving something this big and the way it handled was very different from her old car. Not that she did a lot of driving anyway – but even though she knew this thing had a lot of power, something she guessed at from all the knobs and buttons on the dash anyway, Elizabeth was finding it hard to drive it. The gas pedal was stiff and she had to press her foot almost all the way down to the floor to break. She couldn't figure out which stick was the turn signal so she'd gotten several angry New York drivers honking at her as she switched lanes without signaling.

They were almost upon the turtles signal now and Elizabeth felt herself growing more and more uneasy. They were taking too long to get there. Something wasn't right.

"Turn in here, Miss Elizabeth," Splinter directed, although his normally calm voice was hard in his worry. Elizabeth did as she was told, pulling into a dark alley and shutting off the engine with a relieved sigh.

Splinter was already getting out of the battle shell but stopped when Elizabeth started to remove her seatbelt. "Miss Elizabeth, I cannot allow you to accompany me. You must wait here – it is safer for you and if we need to get away quickly you will already be waiting."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to protest but then snapped it shut quickly and merely nodded. She wasn't happy that she was being told to wait here like a naughty child, but she could see that arguing would be useless and that Splinter really wasn't leaving the decision up to her. She just had to pray as she watched the rat disappear into the shadows that they had gotten here in time.

* * *

><p>Raphael jerked out of Donatello's grip and ran for the hole Leo had disappeared into. He saw that several of the support beams had collapsed underneath the weight of the roof as it had caved in and the floor was covered with debris. But he didn't hesitate his brother was down there somewhere. He leapt down to the next floor easily, and paused when he heard the floor groan a little under his weight. He knew he had to hurry – even here the flooring was unstable because of the weight that had fallen on it. He had to find Leo and hope to shell that he wasn't too injured so he could get him out of there.<p>

A dark shadow fell down beside him and the floor groaned again.

"We'd better hurry," Donatello instructed. "The floor won't hold up forever."

Raphael nodded and began picking up large pieces of debris, tossing it aside as he searched for their missing brother, while Donatello did the same.

Raphael suppressed the urge to growl as he picked up heavy pieces of debris. How had Hun gotten the best of Leo anyway? Leo wasn't easy to take down – and even if he had been up against Hun alone it wasn't like he hadn't taken him down before. So what had been different this time? He had been too busy fighting himself to see what had gone down between Leo and Hun but when Leo had gone down it had looked as if he'd really been struggling just to get on his hands and knees. Had he been hurt? Had Hun managed to seriously wound Leo before having the roof collapse beneath him?

Raphael's searching became more frantic. "Leo! LEO! Can ya hear me?"

As he shifted several more pieces of heavy roofing a familiar green hand came into view and Raphael's heart nearly stopped. "Don! He's over here!"

Donatello was by his side in an instant and together the two brothers worked to remove the remaining debris off their pinned brother. When at last the last piece had been removed Donatello knelt next to Leonardo's unmoving body and immediately his fingers went to his brother's neck to feel for a pulse.

Relieved eyes met Raphael's horrified amber ones. "He's alive, Raph. But I don't know how injured he is – he's unconscious."

"Well we ain't stayin' 'ere." Raphael growled.

"You're gonna have to carry him. I'll help, Mike."

"You head up – when ya get ta da roof yer gonna have ta help me up." Raphael said crouching down and making a cup with his hands for Donatello to step on. Donatello nodded and accepted the assist from his brother, jumping easily to the roof. Raphael returned his attention to his unconscious sibling and gently scooped him up in his arms. "Come on, fearless, let's get ya home."

Shifting Leo's weight to his shoulder for a minute Raph was able to grab the end of the bo Donatello lowered for him. Donatello swung the bo to the side and Raphael made a jump for the roof, just barely clearing the gaping hole. He readjusted his grip on Leo, holding him bridal style once again so as not to aggravate any injuries his brother might have.

"Raph!" Donatello called to him in alarm. "Where's Mikey?"

Raphael felt his own eyes widen in shock and terror. Had Hun snatched their brother while they were rescuing Leo?

"My sons," Splinter's gravelly voice greeted them and both brothers turned in surprise. Splinter walked slowly and stiffly over to them, his eyes alight with relief. "My sons you are safe."

"Master, have you seen?"

"Michelangelo is with Miss Elizabeth in the battle shell – I found him alone on the roof and came back to find the rest of you." Splinter explained, his eyes fell on Leonardo's limp body in Raphael's arms. "Leonardo."

"We've got to get him home, Master," Donatello explained. "He had the roof collapse on him I need to make sure he doesn't have any internal injuries."

Splinter's eyes gave away his grief and pain for a split second before he nodded. "Come we must hurry before the authorities arrive."

Neither turtle argued but hurried after him.

Raph found manipulating down the fire escape with his brother lying limp in his arms was a bit trickier as it threw his balance off a little, but still he never wavered as he followed his brother and father down to the alley below. Splinter lead the way, pausing just at the lip of the alley and sniffing cautiously before nodding to them and hurrying across the street where Raphael could barely make out the outline of the battle shell. He and Donny dashed across the street as fast as their legs could carry them. As soon as they approached the battle shell the side door slid open and Elizabeth stepped aside to allow them access.

Michelangelo was already in one seat, an ace bandage wrapped around his wound, though blood had still soaked through it a little. Raphael carried Leonardo back to the rear end of battle shell, with Donatello hurrying ahead of him to pull the fold away cot out and set it up for their injured brother. It only took him a minute or so and then he nodded for Raphael to set Leonardo onto it. Raphael did – laying Leo gently onto the cot and stepping back, only to find himself with his arms full of Elizabeth's quivering body.

"Raph, I was so scared – I thought we'd be too late."

Raphael stroked Elizabeth's dark hair but didn't say anything. He was watching as Donatello frantically examined Leonardo's motionless body. Finally he sat back, he looked very tired.

"Donny?" Raph inquired.

"I won't know for sure until we get him home – he might have some crushing injuries. But I've done all I can for him here." Donatello looked at Elizabeth who was quivering in Raphael's arms and knew she wouldn't be able to drive them back. She was in no condition to drive. Donatello sighed internally and met Raphael's eyes. "Keep an eye on him – if he wakes up or starts to have complications… "

"I'll tell ya. Let's go home, Donny." Raphael sat in the seat closest to Leo and Elizabeth crawled onto his lap, pressing herself as tight as she could to his body. Raphael stroked her back soothingly but his eyes never left his brother. Donatello hurried to the front of the van knowing Raph would keep an eye on Leo until they could get him home and see just how bad he really was.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hey everyone I know it has been a while and I apologize. Things have been a little nuts lately and this chapter has been giving me some problems. I promise I will always update when I can, but work is picking up and with my new promotion I am working more so my writing time has diminished. Please bear with me while I try and balance things but I do apologize for the long breaks between chapters. Thank you for your patience and thank you to those who take the time to review - it is really appreciated. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and I'll write again soon.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21<strong>

Elizabeth could feel the panic building up in her chest as Donatello's hurried driving had them whipping around corners fast enough to make the battle shell's wheels squeal in protest. She clung to Raphael, grateful that he was at least unhurt. But Leo – she had no idea just how badly hurt he was.

She watched him from the corner of her eye, knowing that Raphael's full attention was on his brother, worried about his condition as well.

She wished that she'd been able to convince Raphael to stay. That his brothers would have never gone out. If they had then maybe Leonardo wouldn't be struggling for every breath now, and Raphael wouldn't feel so hard and rigid beneath her. He felt almost cold.

Donatello took another sharp turn and an irritated New York driver honked angrily at him. Elizabeth cringed.

"Keep pressure on that wound, Michelangelo. It'll help slow the bleeding," Splinter said, his eyes darting between Michelangelo and Leonardo. Elizabeth guessed it was in an attempt to distract himself from Donatello's lunatic driving as well as concern for his sons' well being.

Raphael leaned forward a bit, squishing her a little, as he reached forward to press two fingers against Leonardo's neck, as if to reassure himself that Leo was really still there with him. He pulled back but his face was more distraught.

"Don! Leo's not breathin' too good back 'ere."

Donatello said something that Elizabeth had only ever heard from teenage boys on the street corners.

"Donatello!"

"Sorry, Sensei," Donatello sounded distracted as he took another turn, the wheels on the right side hitting the corner as he jerked the battle shell down another street.

Elizabeth turned her attention to Leonardo, she had been so afraid of him when she'd first met him. But she'd come to really like Leonardo. He was fluid motion. She had come to really like watching the brothers spar. Each one of them had such a different motion to them, a different energy.

Michelangelo was pure energy. Like a ball in a pinball machine. Once you pulled back on the spring and released the ball it would bounce all over the place, having no real sense of direction or planned movement, but going wherever it was directed. Michelangelo would bounce around, trying to wear down the brother he was sparring with, throwing wise cracks and dodging their blows, while trying to get in a few hits of his own. His mouth was just as quick as he was and Elizabeth had come to notice that Raphael was usually the one that got the most riled up and let his temper get the best of him when Michelangelo started taunting him.

Donatello was the complete opposite of Michelangelo. His movements were more calculated, his eyes focused completely on his opponent, as if searching out the weak spots and coming up with the best plan to take them down. He was easily just as skilled as his brothers and Elizabeth had flinched a few times when she'd heard the thwack of his bo connect with one of his brothers' shells. But Donatello seemed to get distracted as well, after a while his concentration would waver and whatever brother he was sparring with would get in a good hit or two before Donatello would seem to come back to himself. But Elizabeth knew that this didn't make Donatello any less of a fighter than his brothers were. Because his attacks were so calculated he could often find the weak spot his brother exposed and have him down on his shell before the other brother even knew what hit him.

Raphael was sheer power. Every hit, kick, or jab with his sai was pure force. Elizabeth had watched in fascination as Raphael's powerful muscles had rippled under his skin as he and his brothers moved around the dojo in their terrifying, yet mesmerizing dance of blows from kicks and fists and flashes of weapons. Raphael's moves were not calculated at all, but unlike Donatello he was totally focused on his opponent, his one goal – to take them down. Raphael's movements weren't as fast as Michelangelo's but his reflexes were sharper. Elizabeth had seen him catch Leonardo's katana between the prongs of his sai and catching Leo in the gut with a powerful kick – when seconds before he'd just managed to avoid Donatello's bo staff as it had made a swing at his shell. Raphael lived for the fight; his eyes would take on a strange glow that would make those amber orbs shine with anticipation and delight. Every thrust and kick would push him into more, until his brothers tired or Splinter would call the match to a halt.

Leonardo's moves were much more fluid. Like the way water moved. It was almost as if he didn't have to think about his next move because it just came naturally to him. He put more energy into his moves and less power than Raphael. With his longer weapons it gave him a longer reach and he wasn't forced to be so close to whoever it was he was fighting unless they approached him first. Leonardo's ability to wield his swords the way he did fascinated Elizabeth. There was such smooth motion in the way he moved his weapons, as if they were an extension of himself, and not merely a tool he used while fighting.

To see him lying so still now, so completely motionless while his chest heaved as it fought to get enough air honestly frightened Elizabeth.

Donatello jerked the wheel again and Elizabeth's body bounced against Raphael's plastron, she winced, knowing that move would probably earn her a bruise. But it was worth it, as long as he was safe.

"Don!" Raphael's voice was sharp, desperate.

"Almost there, Raph. How is he?"

"Not good – how long?"

Donatello jerked around another corner and pushed a button on the dash, making the warehouse door open and he pulled in, stopping the battle shell with a jerk that made all of them wince as their seatbelts dug into their shoulders. Donatello twisted the key, killing the battle shell and rushed back to the back, his chocolate brown eyes searching Leo's body anxiously as if he'd suddenly developed x-ray vision and could see his brother's injuries just by looking at him.

Elizabeth climbed off of Raphael's lap, knowing that the best way she could help Leo was by letting the brothers work together to get him inside where they could assess him properly.

"Get him inside, don't jar him around too much," Donatello instructed his brother.

Raphael slid his arms under Leo's body, holding him bridal style, keeping him close to him, clinging to him as if afraid Leo would disappear at any moment. But from the way Leo looked Elizabeth wasn't so sure that Raph was wrong with his fears. Leo's skin had taken a waxy gray appearance, his breathing so strained it was almost painful to listen to. Like someone scratching their nails across a chalkboard. It just sent shivers up one's spine to listen to it.

Donatello hurried ahead of Raphael, presumably to get things ready for his brothers in the infirmary by the time Raph got there. Michelangelo trailed behind, clutching one hand to a bleeding gash on his arm. Elizabeth was sure it was still bleeding because she could see fresh blood squeezing out between Michelangelo's fingers.

"Come, Michelangelo," Splinter said his voice calm but Elizabeth could see the strain it put on him to keep his voice that way. "Your injury needs attending to as well."

"Is Leo gonna be ok, Sensei?" Michelangelo asked, his baby blue eyes pleading with his father. It reminded Elizabeth a lot of how her brother used to be, how he'd always go to their parents, no matter what the problem was and having the faith that they could make it right again.

Like when Sammy's horse Rocky had stepped into a gopher hole and gone down while Sammy had been out riding instead of doing his homework. Sammy had been thrown from Rocky's back, and with the exception of a few bumps, bruises, and a few mild scrapes he had been unhurt. Rocky hadn't been so lucky. He'd gotten to his feet after his stumble, but it was obvious to Sammy that something had been wrong. He'd run back to the house where Elizabeth and her mother had been cooking dinner and begging for help. Elizabeth and her parents followed Sammy back to where Rocky was. His leg was swollen and from the way he held it, it was clear that it was paining him greatly. Elizabeth had been instructed to take Sammy back to the house. When she'd seen the haunted look on her father's face she knew why. There had been no hope for the horse, he'd obviously broken something that would never heal properly if at all – and even if it did he'd be in constant pain and unable to run or walk properly again. Their father was going to have to do the only decent thing he could and that was simply to put Rocky out of his misery. Elizabeth's mother had gone with them, seeing them into the house before retrieving their father's veterinary bag that he always brought home after work. Sammy had had such faith that their father was going to heal Rocky's leg that he'd waited anxiously by the back door, hoping to see their parents leading Rocky back. But when he finally spotted them they were alone, Rocky was nowhere in sight. As his face fell and the blood had left his face Elizabeth knew that Sammy had realized that not every situation was within a parent's power to make right. For Sammy the lesson had been a hard one and he'd refused to leave his room for days.

Elizabeth truly hoped that this wasn't the case this time.

_Leo's a fighter. He'll pull through this. He won't leave his family._

Elizabeth thought about the blue-banded turtle's fighting spirit, his deep devotion to his family, and willed herself to believe her own thoughts. She hated to think what would happen to the rest of this small tight knit family if Leo didn't pull through this time.

Elizabeth chose not to intrude on the family, although Michelangelo and Splinter had joined Raphael and Donatello in the infirmary. Elizabeth knew the infirmary wasn't that big and that she would only be in the way. Michelangelo's own wound needed tending to and she was sure Splinter had gone in there not only to keep Michelangelo calm, but to see how his oldest son was doing for himself. From the way Donatello barked orders at Raphael she knew that he was doing everything he could to assist Donatello in saving his brother's life.

After what seemed like hours Donatello stopped frantically barking orders and the infirmary was much calmer. Elizabeth wasn't sure if that was a good thing, or a bad. She was too scared to get up and see for herself in case she still was an unwanted guest and would only be in the way. So she continued to wait.

But at last Michelangelo emerged, looking rather teary-eyed as he clutched at the arm that had been injured during the battle. It was wrapped up in an ace bandage and he headed for his room, sniffling.

_Oh no. _

Elizabeth was horrified; she got to her feet and walked on her shaky limbs to the infirmary. He couldn't be. It didn't seem possible that Leo could be gone.

Hesitantly she peered around the edge of the infirmary door, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Come in, Miss Elizabeth," Splinter's calm voice invited her.

She drew in a breath. Surely if something was wrong Splinter would sound more upset? Or would ask her to stay away while they grieved for their brother.

She took a few hesitant steps into the room and her eyes were immediately drawn to the bed occupied by Leo. To her relief his chest rose and fell easily, probably with the aid of the oxygen mask that was fitted perfectly for his face.

"Elizabeth," Raphael's voice sounded very tired but he smiled at her, and held out one arm. Elizabeth took his hand and allowed him to pull her to him. He cradled her against his side.

"How is he?"

"He'll be ok, he 'ad a dislocated shoulder an' a sprained ankle. But he don't 'ave any crushin' injuries or broken bones."

"Which is amazing since he had a roof collapse on him," Donatello muttered from where he sat studying slides under a microscope.

"So why is he on the oxygen mask?"

"Don tinks dat Hun drugged Leo with someting – it's makin' 'is heart rate too fast an' 'is breathin' ain't doin' too good on 'is own."

"Is he going to be ok, Don?"

"If I can figure out exactly what it is that Hun gave him I should be able to come up with an antidote to reverse whatever is doing this to him."

"How can you be sure that this Hun guy gave Leo something?"

"Cause Leo went down before the roof even collapsed, I saw him – he couldn't get his legs under him. It was like he had lost control of his limbs. Leo could have easily gotten out of the way before that roof collapsed if he'd been able to. But he just lay there – and his injuries don't account for his rapid heart rate or labored breathing. If he had crushing injuries they might be explained, but he doesn't." Donatello sounded a bit annoyed. "I'm having a hard time concentrating with all this chit chat going on though – so if you don't mind."

"Come on, Elizabeth," Raphael said quietly leading Elizabeth from the room. She leaned into him as they made their way to the guest room that had unofficially become Elizabeth's.

"Is he going to be ok, Raph?"

"Leo ain't a quitter – he'll keep fightin' and Don'll find da stuff he needs ta fix whatever did dis ta 'im." Raphael reassured her.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm gonna stay with 'im and Donny tonight. If someting does h'ppen den we'll be der, but I don't tink it will. Donny's good – he'll figure out what's doin' dis ta 'im."

Elizabeth was a little disappointed she'd be sleeping alone tonight, but she understood Raphael's need to be close to his brother while he was injured, she wasn't going to ask him to stay because she knew where he was needed more.

She sat down on the bed and Raphael sat next to her, keeping her close to him as he pressed his beak against the top of her head.

"'Lizbeth?"

"Hmm?"

"I should get back in der."

"Oh, ok, Raph."

Raphael quickly kissed her forehead and stood up, closing the door quietly behind him.

Elizabeth sighed and began to get ready for bed.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth found sleep hard to come by, and when she did she had nightmares. Graham finding her, taking her away. Leo succumbing to whatever Hun had given to him, leaving his family to grieve for him. Raphael pulling away from her, telling her that she'd be better off with Graham. Telling her that's where she belonged.<p>

Elizabeth's eyes snapped open and she lay awake, panting in the dark for several long minutes, trying to catch her breath as if she'd just had a very hard work out. When at last she was able to get her breathing under control she sat up and pushed the covers aside, rolled her legs off the bed and sat for several long minutes, her heart still thundering away in her chest as the last few images of her nightmares disappeared into nothingness.

She got up slowly, walking on quiet feet and headed for the bathroom. She could hear Raphael's chainsaw like snore echoing from the infirmary and was sure that it was probably only the very early hours of the morning. No one else was awake.

She splashed cold water onto her face, and raked her hair back with her fingers. Feeling a little better she left the bathroom and headed for the kitchen, knowing if Donatello had been up watching over Leo all night he'd be in desperate need for another cup of coffee.

But when she got to the kitchen she was surprised to see Donatello already there, pouring himself a fresh cup of coffee and looking rather drained.

"Don, how's Leo?"

Donatello looked mildly surprised to see her, but he smiled. "He's going to be ok, Elizabeth. I gave him some stuff that'll counter act the drugs Hun gave him. He's breathing easier and his blood pressure and heart rate have come down. Raph fell asleep about an hour ago but you can go in and see Leo for yourself if you like."

Elizabeth nodded. "If you don't mind."

"Come on," Donatello said leading the way back to the infirmary.

Elizabeth followed and paused in the infirmary door. The oxygen mask that had been strapped over Leonardo's face the night before was no longer in place, and his chest rose and fell easily without it. The fingernails scraping the chalkboard sound was gone and except for a few darkening bruises and his arm sitting in a sling he looked just fine. Elizabeth released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Donatello chuckled lightly. "Leo's a fighter, Elizabeth. He's pulled through worse than this."

Elizabeth forced a smile and nodded, turning her eyes to the figure sprawled out on the chair next to the cot. Raphael was oblivious, he was far too out of it. His head was tilted to one side, his legs stretched out in front of him, his arms crossed over his plastron.

"Raph wouldn't leave," Donatello explained as he yawned. "He finally fell asleep after I took off Leo's oxygen mask."

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around herself. "You hungry, Don?"

Donatello shook his head. "I'm good, thanks, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth left the infirmary and headed for the kitchen. She'd make enough for everyone anyway – in case they changed their minds later.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth pulled the perfectly browned muffins out of the oven.<p>

"Wow, dudette, you went all out."

"Morning, Mikey," Elizabeth said turning and smiling. She set the pan of freshly baked muffins onto the table alongside the cookie sheet that held the main course, which Michelangelo was examining curiously.

"Uh, what exactly is this, Elizabeth?" Michelangelo asked as he examined the strange concoction of breakfast foods, which seemed to lay on a layer of browned hash browns.

Elizabeth grinned. "It's breakfast pizza, Mikey."

"Pizza?" Michelangelo's eyes lit up.

"It's not that kind of pizza, Mikey," Elizabeth said with a laugh.

"Pizza is pizza, Elizabeth."

"If you see it that way," Elizabeth said. "Do you want to see if your brothers want any?"

"Sure thing," Michelangelo bounded out of the kitchen as Elizabeth began to pull the muffins out of the cupcake tins.

It only took him a couple minutes to return with a rather tired looking Donatello and an irritated Raphael. Elizabeth had no doubt that Michelangelo had found the most irritating way to wake the red-banded turtle.

"This looks interesting, Elizabeth," Donatello said as he too eyed the breakfast pizza dubiously. Elizabeth was rather surprised he'd joined them, but she had a feeling that Splinter had insisted that all his sons eat something.

"It's good, Don, I promise," Elizabeth said as she grabbed a pizza cutter and began to slice up the pizza. The browned hash browns crunched underneath the sharp edge and the cheese stuck to the sides. Sliding a pancake turner under one of the pieces she put it on a plate and handed it to Michelangelo, who eagerly took it from her.

Donatello and Raphael took their slices as well.

"Is Splinter hungry?" Elizabeth asked.

"He's making sure Leo stays in bed."

"He's awake?" Elizabeth's wide eyes flew to Donatello's face. He smiled back at her.

"Awake and grumbling. Leo hates being bed ridden."

Relief flooded through her and suddenly the atmosphere of the lair was much more pleasant.

"Should I fix him a plate?"

"Sensei will eat later," Raphael grumbled as he reached for a muffin.

Elizabeth had no doubt in her mind that Raphael was exhausted and Michelangelo waking him up for breakfast hadn't made him happy. Of course, if she were to be honest with herself, if she was woken after only a couple hours of sleep she doubted she'd be very pleasant either so she wasn't going to hold it against him.

"Wow. Dis stuff is good, 'Lizbeth," Michelangelo said through a mouthful of pizza.

Elizabeth smiled, Michelangelo was easily impressed. She took a slice for herself and a muffin and began to eat herself.

"Elizabeth I want to try and do an ultrasonic reading this week. We can see how big the baby is and make sure everything looks ok."

"Sure, Don. Just let me know when you want to do it."

Donatello finished the last of his breakfast and stood up. "Thanks for breakfast, Elizabeth. I'd better get back. Leo's going to want to get up as soon as he can, and I want to make sure everything looks ok before he does."

Elizabeth smiled at the soft spoken turtle. "Your welcome, Don."

Donatello headed back for the infirmary.

Raphael likewise stood up and headed upstairs to his room. Elizabeth figured he was going to try and get some decent sleep.

"Want some help cleaning up, dudette?" Michelangelo asked as he reached for another muffin.

Elizabeth stood up and patted Michelangelo's shoulder gently. "That'd be great, thanks , Mikey."


	22. Chapter 22

**I am so sorry for the long wait guys. I'll try not to take so long next time. I really struggled with this chapter and with a lot of things in RL - but hopefully it won't take me so long next time. Thanks for those of you who've reviewed and stuck with me. I appreciate it. Because of some emotional problems I face on a daily basis that I really struggle with I just hope you guys bear with me on the updating. I'm planning on wrapping this story up here before too long. But in the meantime, thank you again for your support and understanding with everything. See you next time**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

Donatello was right of course, Leonardo was up as soon as he found the strength to get off the bed. Elizabeth could tell that Donatello wasn't happy about this, especially since Leo refused to take it easy on his sprained ankle and had tossed the sling for his arm onto the bed, saying he hadn't needed it. Elizabeth was a bit surprised by Leo's solemn, almost angry attitude. She'd seen him cold before but she hadn't really seen him angry or so closed off until now. Over the next week or so Leo refused to spend more time out of his bedroom than he had to and wouldn't join them for meals.

To Elizabeth's surprise, however, his brothers didn't seem at all worried about this. They acted as if… this were normal behavior for the blue-banded turtle. Curious Elizabeth asked Raphael about it one night as they lay in bed together. He'd explained to her that Leo was often hard on himself but that it wouldn't last forever.

Donatello was not at all happy with Leo, mainly because Leo's limp was growing more pronounced as the days passed. It hadn't escaped Elizabeth's sharp eyes either. But Leo had been determined to resume training, despite his injuries. He'd only been able to use one arm to wield his katana, though Don was working with him to strengthen the muscles in his shoulder and he had been forbidden from using it in his training sessions until Donatello cleared it.

Leo had seemed content to follow Don's orders for this – but had ignored Donatello's warnings about his ankle. At first the limp hadn't seemed so bad but now it was much more pronounced and from the way Leo favored it when he thought no one was looking at him Elizabeth was sure it was paining him greatly, despite his reassurances that he was fine.

Elizabeth lay on Raphael's lap as they watched wrestling. She didn't really find it all that interesting but she was content to be with Raphael. The brothers had decided by mutual agreement that they wouldn't be going topside again until Leo was once again at top form – and from the way he was pushing himself Elizabeth wasn't sure if that was going to happen anytime soon. If his limp continued to get worse she knew that he could seriously hurt himself if he didn't let it rest.

"Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth looked up as Donatello walked around the edge of the couch.

"I've got the sonogram ready. I really want to get an ultra sound – want to make sure everything looks ok with the baby."

Elizabeth swallowed hard but nodded. "Ok, I'll be right there, Don." She sat up slowly and rubbed her bare arms nervously.

To her surprise Raph turned off the TVs and stood up with her. He smiled. "Ya want me der with ya?"

Elizabeth bit her lip but nodded. She really did want Raph in there with her, but was afraid he wouldn't want to be since this wasn't his baby – at least not biologically. Raphael smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist and together they walked into the infirmary.

Elizabeth was a bit embarrassed when Donatello told her to take off her pants but she did as he instructed and climbed onto the bed, lifting up her shirt and was relieved when he spread a sheet over her legs giving her some semblance of decency. He spread a cool gel over her rounding belly and stared at the machine.

"You should be far enough along that we can tell the sex of the baby now," Don said as he ran the scanner over her belly.

Elizabeth wasn't sure if she really wanted to know. Would it really make that much of a difference to her? She was still more than willing to give the baby up for adoption – she had never wanted a baby with Graham, and being forced to keep the baby, always having that part of him with her no matter how small would remind her of how trapped she had always felt in that marriage with Graham.

"There's the head," Donatello said pointing at the screen.

Elizabeth couldn't help herself, she turned to look. Donatello was grinning at the screen, and at what was unmistakably the baby's head as it lay there in her womb. It was moving a little and she could hear the baby's heartbeat. She felt herself tearing up despite herself as she realized with a shock that again this was her baby – that this thing was actually growing inside her, and what a marvel that really was. She felt herself tightening her grip on Raph's hand. He squeezed it back gently.

"And the arm, and I'm pretty sure that's the leg." Don said as his eyes narrowed behind his mask in concentration. "I should be able to tell what it is here in just a minute."

A couple tears worked free despite Elizabeth's efforts to hold them back.

Don and Raph were both quiet and then Don's face lit up in a grin. "It's a girl."

"Akemi," Elizabeth whispered. She looked at Raphael who was smiling at her, his golden orbs seemed to be glowing as he touched her hair gently. "I want to name her Akemi."

* * *

><p>Elizabeth found herself getting hungrier more often now that her morning sickness had finally faded away and as her stomach continued to get larger with her growing daughter. It had been nearly two weeks now since the turtles disastrous night out in which Leo had been injured, and Raphael was spending a rare night in his own room as he hadn't slept well in almost four days what with Elizabeth getting up and down in the middle of the night as she sought out food to satisfy her cravings.<p>

It was nearly three in the morning when Elizabeth's stomach woke her. She got up quietly and headed for the kitchen, hoping to find something that would curb her appetite until breakfast. After poking around in the fridge for a few minutes she found what she needed to make fried chicken. She pulled out a pan and put oil into it, letting it heat up and adding spices that she wanted for the fried chicken. She dug out a jar of peanut butter to snack on while the chicken cooked. She dug a spoon into the silky smooth peanut butter and put it in her mouth as she used prongs to put the chicken into the frying pan piece by piece. The chicken popped and sizzled, and the homey smell of fried chicken began to fill the lair. Elizabeth helped herself to more peanut butter and turned the heat down a little so the hot oil wouldn't splatter her arms.

"Can't sleep again?"

The voice startled her so much she almost knocked the edge of the frying pan, which would've made the chicken and hot oil go flying. She spun to see Leo watching her from the entryway to the kitchen. He limped over to the table and winced as he sat down.

"You're up late," Elizabeth said frowning a little as she stared down at Leo's swollen ankle, it was almost double the size of his uninjured ankle and it was obviously paining him greatly, though he never complained about it."You should put some ice on that."

Leo watched her pull an ice pack out of the freezer and took it without arguing with her. Elizabeth returned to the chicken as it popped and sizzled.

Elizabeth could feel Leonardo's eyes on her, but she didn't feel at all uncomfortable by this. It wasn't a hostile glare he was giving her, it was more of patient tolerance. She was well aware that she had been the one who had woken him, though she hadn't been noisy. But Leonardo was the most easily woken of his brothers because he was always on edge, always hyper aware of his surroundings, always ready to defend his home and family when the need arose. It hadn't been the first time she'd woken him the week and they had often sat at the kitchen table together sitting in silence, but there had been no real need for conversation.

Elizabeth put the tea kettle on the stove to heat up the water for his tea and just as she turned off the burner for the fried chicken the tea kettle whistled. She poured the hot water into a cup and handed it to Leonardo. He accepted it with a nod and she sat down across from him with a few pieces of fried chicken.

She didn't say anything to him, didn't push him about his ankle. She had asked him about that the first night he'd joined her in the kitchen but he had ignored her questions and had left her alone shortly after that. Elizabeth had gotten the message, he wasn't going to talk to her about it. He accepted her offered ice packs, but that was all, and after Elizabeth went back to bed she was sure Leonardo headed to the dojo to meditate.

Elizabeth had never seen Leonardo so distant before though, not since she'd first met him. But even then it had been different. Then it had been a worried stressful Leonardo. Worried for his family and for the complications having Elizabeth being there could have for his family. Elizabeth knew that nothing was more important to Leonardo than his family. But he even seemed distant from his brothers now, it was so unlike him and she'd seen the worried looks on the others faces when Leo wasn't around. She had a feeling that the brothers hadn't expected Leonardo to distance himself for so long – or to isolate himself as much as he had. If it wasn't for the extra dish she saw later in the afternoon in the drying rack she wouldn't have been sure that he was even eating. And he was pushing himself harder than Donatello thought was wise during their training sessions, but he also paid the consequences of that and the evidence was obvious in his swollen ankle he was now nursing.

If Leonardo picked up on Elizabeth's emotions he didn't show it. He finished his tea, put the cup in the sink, put the icepack back in the freezer and quietly left the room. Elizabeth finished the fried chicken she made and after she cleaned up her mess she too left the kitchen. She could see the flickering lights of candles inside the dojo and knew Leonardo had retreated again to meditate. She frowned and headed back to her room, quietly closing the door behind her.

* * *

><p>Leonardo winced, coming back from the spiritual plain as his ankle throbbed. His eyes snapped open and he glared down at the offending joint. He rubbed it gingerly, but that did nothing to ease the pain. He sighed and unfolded his legs from the lotus position, it wasn't helping his throbbing ankle and the pain was getting too bad for him to continue to ignore. He had tried to pass it off as a mild sprain and ignored the fact that he should let it rest and heal as Donatello had instructed. He hadn't wanted to let his brothers down again.<p>

He wasn't blind, nor ignorant of the worry they were all carrying because of him. But the fact was that he had let them down. Again. When Hun had stuck that needle into his thigh he'd known at once that he had been in trouble. His limbs had felt like dead weights and he had been unable to lift his arms or even throw them out to break his fall when his legs had given out on him. He'd been completely powerless. Hun could've done anything to him and no matter how hard his brain had fought against the drugs, to try and force his body to respond to his wills and commands, he might as well have been disconnected completely from his body for all the good it had done. He had been in charge of getting his brothers back home safely, and he had failed at it.

Michelangelo had already been injured, and the wound was deep enough that Leonardo had known that his youngest brother would need stitches to repair the damage. He'd been angry and worried and had underestimated Hun for a split second and it could've cost him or one of his brothers their lives. He had sworn after his final fight with the Shredder and after Karai had sent his own katana through his shoulder that he would never underestimate anyone again. That he would never again be weak when his brothers needed him to be strong. The Ancient One had shown him that he wasn't expected to be perfect, and that there was only so much he could do – and that even giving his all wouldn't be enough in certain situations. But this time had been different.

He and his brothers had fought Hun before, he had taken Hun out several times on his own. So what was it that had given Hun the advantage this time? Leonardo had meditated for several hours about this but was unable to come to a conclusion or find an answer that really hit him. He had been surprised to discover that Hun was working for Graham – it made sense but it was still surprising. And he had no doubt that Graham had told Hun that he and his brothers had rescued Don and Elizabeth from him that night. Of course Hun already knew about them, which just made their situation with Elizabeth more dangerous because Hun always seemed to have access to unlimited teenagers who were willing to lower themselves to Hun's standards to get a few extra dollars in their pockets. It seemed to be human nature to want things that didn't belong to them and Hun's methods, though unethical, were nonetheless effective.

And then there were those new enemies that they had faced, obviously better trained than street punks, but they weren't the foot either. Leonardo wasn't sure what to make of that, and hadn't been able to figure out who they were. He had asked Don shortly after he'd woken if he'd found anything on the strange symbol that had been sewn into their outfits but Donatello had already admitted that so far he had come up with nothing, and from the discouraged looks on Donatello's face after several hours in the lab on several occasions Leonardo was sure that that hadn't changed.

Leonardo didn't blame Elizabeth. Not at all. She hadn't asked for this. Leonardo knew that Elizabeth had fallen in love with a completely different person and that it had changed after they had made their vows. Elizabeth had confided this with him once they'd gotten closer and she'd felt more comfortable talking to him about such things. He also knew that Elizabeth would never want them to get hurt in her place. She'd proved that the night she had tried to save Donatello's life by handing herself over knowing full well that she probably wouldn't make it out of that building alive. If she was willing to do that for them then Leo wasn't going to put her in harm's way. He couldn't do that to her.

His ankle sent another sharp pain up his leg again and he sighed. It was time to stop being stubborn and talk to Donatello. He wouldn't be any good to his family or to Elizabeth if he couldn't even walk properly because the pain made it such a chore. He'd talk to his brother after Don had breakfast. Resigned to this he got to his feet and slowly made his way back upstairs to his room.

* * *

><p>Over the next several weeks Elizabeth was relieved to see things return to normal in the lair. She'd been surprised, but happy to see Leonardo walk into Don's lab and return to the couch a while later with his ankle properly wrapped and with a pair of crutches to keep his weight off the injured joint so it could heal properly, and from the relief in Raphael and Michelangelo's eyes they too were delighted that Leonardo seemed to have finally come around.<p>

Whatever issue Leonardo seemed to be dealing with he seemed to be working through, though it didn't seem to be that far from the front of his mind. There were times where his face would fall and he'd become very serious in times that didn't necessarily require such deep meditation on whatever thoughts were bothering him. But Elizabeth was very happy to see Leonardo coming around again, joining them for meals, and being much more relaxed around her and his brothers. And as his ankle continued to heal Leonardo's mood improved considerably and he once again became the turtle that Elizabeth had come to really care about.

Elizabeth was beginning to feel very fat. She'd never been large but now that her stomach had grown well past her normal size she was very self conscious of how she looked and to make her looks slimmer she had taken to wearing extra baggy shirts and sweatpants. But even hidden under the baggy clothes she noticed how the elastic in her sweatpants seemed tight against her ever growing stomach. But she was also aware of something that distracted her from how uncomfortable she'd become with her fat stomach. She could actually begin to feel her daughter really moving around inside her.

At times this really annoyed her, especially when she wanted to sleep. It seemed that whenever she would lie down to take a nap or to sleep at night her daughter would sense it and that was when she decided it was the best time to squirm around inside her. Raphael had found this funny at first, but as Elizabeth slept less and less she could see the amusement had faded away and concern had set it. She knew that fatigue was normal with pregnancy, but after she'd fallen asleep at the breakfast or dinner tables several times this week she too was concerned on whether or not it was normal to be this tired while pregnant. She found herself craving sleep more often and little tasks were wearing her out. Concerned that it might be something more than simple fatigue Donatello had insisted on checking her out, but had come to the conclusion that she was simply exhausted. He'd called April to see if there was anything they could do to help Elizabeth get more sleep, but Elizabeth wasn't sure if April had found anything.

Another concern Elizabeth knew that the brothers had was when she would deliver in a few months. Donatello had told her that he didn't have the equipment necessary to help her properly, and if something went wrong he wasn't sure he'd be able to help the way a hospital would be able to. He'd encouraged her to arrange it with April and Casey to take her to the hospital when she went into labor.

Raphael on the other hand took the opposite view, he didn't want her in a hospital in case Graham had put out an alert for her, he didn't want to risk him finding her there. Even with Casey there he felt it was too dangerous.

But Elizabeth knew that Donatello was right – she should be in a hospital to deliver her daughter. It wasn't safe or hygienic to deliver in the sewers and it would be best to be with the professionals in case something did go wrong. She dreaded telling Raphael what she'd decided to do, knowing he'd been worried and angry but she knew it was best to tell him sooner rather than later so he wouldn't be so surprised when she went into labor and had a suitcase ready to go to the hospital. She wasn't leaving him – she loved him. But she wasn't going to risk her life or her daughter's life by not going somewhere that people knew what they were doing and did it on a daily basis.

Elizabeth finished sliding the hot eggs onto the English muffins and put a couple pieces of crisp bacon on top of each before adding a slice of cheese. Such a simple breakfast, but she wasn't up for much more than that these days anyway.

"Good morning, Elizabeth," Leonardo greeted her as he walked in, well, more like half walked since he was only using his good foot still and had to use the crutches to continue to get around. Elizabeth smiled at his warm greeting, so different from the greetings he would give her a couple weeks ago. She already had his tea ready for him and Leo sat in his usual spot, and sipped at his tea before starting in on one of the English muffins.

"Is there coffee?" Donatello asked as his way of a morning greeting. He yawned and stretched and sat down, still half asleep and stared blankly at the food. Elizabeth poured him a fresh cup of hot coffee and put it in his right hand. He seemed surprised for a minute and then took a sip to help clear away the fog that had settled there during the night. Although Elizabeth was sure that he had only gotten a couple hours of sleep – she'd seen his lights still on at four this morning. She knew Leonardo would make sure Donatello got to bed at a decent time tonight though. Especially since Leonardo was sending his brother a slightly dirty and disapproving look across the table.

"Food! Elizabeth, I love you!" Mikey said with a grin as he hurried to his spot next to Donatello.

"Get yer own girl, Mikey." Raphael growled. He walked around the table and gave her a quick hug and kiss good morning. Elizabeth was surprised to smell her own soap on him. She'd had April go on a supply run for her as she'd needed more shaving cream and a new razor and was tired of the spring fresh soap and had preferred her own strawberries and cream. But she hadn't thought it was that strong.

Raphael smirked and sat down next to Leo and grabbed the plate that was practically over flowing with the English muffins.

"Hey," Mikey protested as Raph helped himself to several of the muffins. "Don't eat all of them, Raph!"

"Keep yer shorts on, Mikey," Raphael said rolling his eyes as he pushed the plate back towards his orange-banded brother.

"We don't wear shorts," Mikey said with a grin as he helped himself to three muffins.

All three of his brothers rolled their eyes at Mikey's bad joke. But Elizabeth chuckled as she sat down on Raph's other side and helped herself to several of the muffins as well.

Elizabeth saw Donatello give Raphael a pointed look. Elizabeth was a little confused. What was that supposed to mean?

To her surprise Raph smirked again and bit into his muffin again, then cleared his throat. "It's been a while since April an' Case came down fer a movie. T'ought dey'd like ta come down tonight."

Leo and Mikey smiled, delighted with this notion. Elizabeth smiled as well. She'd really come to like April, though she was still a little unsure of Casey sometimes. He was so flamboyant sometimes that it made her a little uncomfortable. But she knew that Casey was a good man at heart, he'd never done anything to purposefully scare or her make her uncomfortable. And she knew the turtles really cared about the vigilante as did April, so Elizabeth always made an effort to be friendly with him.

"Sounds great – I can make dinner." Elizabeth suggested.

"Ya don't have ta do dat, 'Lizbeth. Ya cook all da time – I tink Case an' April can bring some pizza or someting give ya a break from all da cookin'."

Elizabeth was a bit surprised by this, she knew that the turtles loved her cooking, but it would be nice to have a break from cooking for a change. She loved to cook but it was a lot of work and a break only for one night would be nice.

"It's my turn to pick the movie!" Mikey announced.

His brothers groaned but Elizabeth didn't mind. She liked super hero movies, well most of them anyway.

"I'll give April a call, tell her that tonight will work." Donatello said with a grin. He put his empty plate into the sink, refilled his coffee mug and headed for his lab. Elizabeth knew that they probably wouldn't see him again until tonight. She returned to her breakfast, barely paying attention as the brothers talked excitedly about the night ahead.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth retreated to her room after breakfast as the brothers headed for the dojo to get in their morning training session. She attempted to read but after a half hour or so she found she couldn't keep her eyes open.<p>

To her surprise she actually slept well, it was only when she felt someone gently shaking her that she awoke. She opened her eyes and saw Raphael sitting next to her.

"Ya wanna come out, 'Lizbeth? Everyone's 'ere."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. She'd slept all day? She slowly got off the bed. "I'll be right out – let me change."

Raphael nodded and left the room. Elizabeth slipped out of her pajamas and into her usual sweatpants and baggy shirt. A quick glance in the mirror told her that her hair was utterly impossible so she pulled it up into a loose ponytail. For a movie night she really didn't care. She stepped out of the bedroom and saw that the others were already sitting on the couch. Mikey was obviously making popcorn in the kitchen. Elizabeth walked over to the couch and sat down next to Raphael.

"Come on, Mikey! We're waitin' fer ya!" Raphael called.

"No rushing perfection, Raph!" Mikey called back with an overflowing bowl of popcorn.

Raphael rolled his eyes and stretched a little bit. "Let's git dis movie over with. What are we watchin'?"

Mikey grinned and didn't answer but put the DVD into the player. Elizabeth was very happy to see Mikey had picked Batman Returns. It was her favorite Batman movie. She loved Cat Woman. Even the others couldn't complain about Mikey's selection tonight. None of them, it seemed, had a problem with Batman.

Elizabeth curled up against Raphael and enjoyed the movie and helped herself to some of the popcorn Mikey offered her.

When the movie ended Casey and April stood up and stretched. "Well, we should be getting back," Casey said.

April nodded. "But first, we have something for you Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You do?"

April smiled and walked to the kitchen. She came back with a few bags. "Just in case you decide to keep the baby." She said gently.

Elizabeth was surprised and opened up the bags to find several baby outfits, pacifiers, bottles, toys, bibs, and a couple blankets. She looked back at April, wide-eyed. "April, Casey, I… I don't know what to… I can't… "

April silenced her by hugging her firmly. "Yes you can. They're gifts."

Casey wrapped his arm around April's waist and nodded his agreement.

"Uh, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth looked at Donatello. He was looking sheepishly at her. "We have something for you too."

Elizabeth's eyes widened as Leonardo and Raphael carried a crib out of the lab. It was made of wood, obviously hand made by Donatello, probably from spare parts and pieces of wood he had been able to get his hands on. Elizabeth walked closer and was surprised to see engravings in the larger flatter pieces of wood on both ends of the crib. Those too were obviously hand done. By someone who knew what they were doing. Mikey, she was sure was the one who'd drawn the pictures. She touched the pictures of the pack of wolves, her favorite animals besides horses, which she'd admitted to Raphael one night.

The pack of wolves were all howling at a large full moon on one end and down by the foot of the crib more wolves ran, their tongues hanging from the corners of their mouths. The details in the pictures were incredible, and all of them carved with obvious care. Elizabeth touched the polished wood and tears stung her eyes.

"Oh I forgot." April said she left and returned quickly with a mobile. This too had many wolves dangling down. Elizabeth touched one of the polished wooden wolves on the mobile as it dangled down.

"Mikey drew da pictures – I carved 'em out. Leo did da mobile – an Don put everyting tagether. April was jus' finishin' puttin' da mobile tagether but she told us dat she'd finished it. So we wanted ta give 'em ta ya."

Elizabeth stared at her gifts, she was incapable of speech. But as the tears began to stream down her cheeks and drip off her chin she felt Raphael's rough fingers wipe them away. She had never been given such nice gifts from people who cared so much. Not since she'd married Graham. In all the time they'd been married Graham had bought her many extravagant things but all of them dulled in comparison with these simple things, made with the care and love that the turtles, April and Casey had put behind them. She felt Raphael touch her hair and she turned into him, hugging him before finally turning her head back towards the others.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey guys. Didn't take me as long to get this next chapter up - though it's a little shorter than usual. I've only got a chapter or two left for this story. Next chapter will be longer I promise and then I'll have the epilogue after that. Thank you again to those of you who've stuck it out with me and those who take the time to review. I know exactly what's going to happen in the next chapter so hopefully it won't take me too long to write it. I promise I'll try and get it up as soon as I can. But in the meantime thanks for your patience and understanding in the waits between chapters. Still trying to sort out RL stuff and it isn't getting much better. But I do the best I can in trying to keep up with everything. I know it isn't always super fast and I'm sorry about that but I do appreciate you guys hanging in there with me. See you next time.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 23<strong>

"I swear if I get any larger I'm going to explode!" Elizabeth complained as she waddled into the main area of the lair.

_She walks a bit like a duck_ Mikey thought with a grin as he watched Elizabeth make her way across the large room and make a face at the couch.

"'Lizbeth, ya 'eard what Don said – ya've gotta stay off yer feet!" Raphael scolded as he left the kitchen a plate in one hand a glass of milk in another.

"Raph, if you make me stay in that bed one more day I swear I'm going to explode!" Elizabeth growled.

Mikey chuckled only to get swatted on the back of the head. "Ow! Hey!"

"Can it, Mike!" Raph said as he miraculously balanced the plate and cup with one hand. He turned his attention back to Elizabeth, who was eying the couch cushions with some trepidation. "At least sit down, 'Lizbeth. Don don't want ya up an' round more den ya gotta be."

"But I can't get off those cushions once I sit down!" Elizabeth complained frowning again.

Mikey snickered again and ducked as Raph went to smack him again.

Raph glared at his youngest brother before returning his attention to Elizabeth. "We ain't goin' nowhere – we can 'elp ya up if ya need ta get up – but Don's gonna have my shell dat ya ain't restin' if he sees ya up an' around."

Elizabeth made a face but reluctantly sat down on the couch. Raphael handed her the plate with the sandwich on it and the glass of milk.

Elizabeth had become increasingly more agitated over the past few months, more nervous about the delivery now that she was only a month or so away from actually having the baby now. She felt like she'd grown to the size of a whale and had become more self conscious of the way her clothes sat on her large stomach, even the maternity clothes seemed tight.

The brothers had taken Elizabeth's unpredictable mood swings with good grace, something that wasn't always easy, but Elizabeth would usually feel ashamed of herself and apologize for her strong words later, to which the brothers always graciously accepted. None of them had ever really been in a situation like this before so they weren't sure exactly if such situations were normal, but were always relieved when Elizabeth seemed to come back to herself.

Close to eight months into her pregnancy Donatello had noticed her blood pressure had begun to climb and had insisted that she take to bed rest to see if they couldn't get it back to normal. Elizabeth hadn't been pleased, but when Donatello had told her the dangers high blood pressure could have, especially for her and the baby, Elizabeth had relented with little argument.

Raphael had also found himself more tense over the past few months and now that Elizabeth's delivery date grew increasingly closer his own stress levels had begun to climb. He had not been at all pleased when Elizabeth told him of her plans to deliver the baby in the hospital. He'd been angry and terrified – telling her that the whole medical staff could be looking for her or would inform Graham of her where abouts if they'd received a big enough payoff but Elizabeth had refused to budge on the subject. April and Casey had agreed to be there with her and April had promised that one or both of them would always be there just in case. But that did little to ease Raph's mind. He had tried begging with Donatello, trying to convince him to persuade Elizabeth to stay at the lair for the delivery, but much to his irritation Donatello had agreed that having the baby at the hospital would be much safer.

"It's simply too dangerous to risk her having the baby here, Raph. Childbirth is a complicated and risky business – if something goes wrong and Elizabeth doesn't have the help she needs she'll die."

Raph had been displeased by this and hadn't given up the argument with Elizabeth for several weeks, but Elizabeth had never budged in her decision, and nothing Raph could say convinced her or persuaded her otherwise.

The brothers had set up the crib in the guest room along with some of the other things that April and Casey had bought for Elizabeth. April had brought Elizabeth some busy work to keep her hands occupied while she was kept on bed rest and Elizabeth had taken to cross stitching, currently working on a light blue blanket, the brothers had quickly discovered that she despised pink, in which she'd stitched many turtles into the material. Raphael had been amused by this but couldn't help but grin as Elizabeth showed him some of her finished work. The turtles were regular turtles but each of them had a bandana around its neck, red, purple, orange, or blue. She'd made a border of these turtles all the way around the edge of the blanket and now had begun to cross stitch what appeared to be their weapons. She had centered these and they were much larger than the border of turtles around the edge. These seemed to take precedence of the design. She had already finished Leo's katana, the blade seemed to glow from the highlights she'd added to it – as if it had caught the light as it so often tended to do as Leo wielded it, the edge was sharp, the blue material wrapped around the handle the same shade that adorned Leo's katana. The blade was turned down, the handle up in the air as if it had been stuck in the ground at an angle, Michelangelo's nun chuck lay in front of the gleaming katana, spread apart as if it had been tossed onto the ground carelessly. The chain that held the two pieces of wood together were carefully criss crossed, delicately woven into the blanket with accuracy that had everyone staring in complete awe of Elizabeth's work. It looked more like she'd take a picture than actually stitched the delicate chain. But Raphael had touched the small xs with the tips of his fingers and had felt the smooth ridges of her handiwork. Donatello's bo staff was standing up, leaning against an invisible wall in the picture, tilted to an angle, the silky material seemed to be coming unraveled a little around the middle where Don would hold it. Bits of brown peeked out from behind the purple silk. The different mix of browns Elizabeth had used gave the wood an ancient and worn appearance to the bo and there was even a small piece missing, like in Don's recent bo. A small piece had been chipped out on one of their recent fights. Donatello had not been happy, he loved his bo and hated when it was damaged. But at least it wasn't bad enough he had to get it replaced this time. And finally front and center with the points much like Leo's katana sticking into the ground, the handle up in the air was Raph's sai. Raph's weapon seemed to make the details on his brother's weapons fade into the background. Elizabeth had obviously taken great care to make sure she'd gotten Raphael's weapon exactly right. The color she'd used for the material around the handle was a deep rich red, the silver and gray colors she'd given the metal part of the weapon made it gleam and shine, catching the light and glinting wickedly off the sharp points of his sai. Elizabeth had yet to finish the longest point on the sai but she was almost done.

Raphael enjoyed relaxing next to her, watching wrestling while Elizabeth worked on the blanket. She would often grow tired and curl up next to him, abandoning the blanket as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until finally they gave up the fight and she slipped into the bliss of slumber while Raphael wrapped the afghan from off the back of the couch around her shoulders.

Raphael's thoughts snapped back to the present as Elizabeth tried to lean forward to put the now empty plate and glass onto the low coffee table in front of her, but growled in frustration as she realized she couldn't reach that far with her enormous belly. Raphael quickly took the dishes from her before her frustration could escalate and returned them to the kitchen.

Elizabeth sighed and settled against the cushions as Mikey flipped through the channels before finally settling on a old monster movie. Elizabeth's eyes grew unfocused, not interested in watching a monster movie but it was better than being trapped in the guest room with nothing to do.

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Raphael washed and set the plates Elizabeth had used for lunch to the drying rack. He heard the soft sounds of his brother's feet on the floor and caught the faint whiff of sandalwood that seemed to follow his brother wherever he went. And sure enough seconds later Leo entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Raph." Leo said with a slight smile as he caught sight of his red banded brother.

Raph smiled back. Leo had once again settled back into the familiar and well suited role of leader. Full of confidence and no longer hesitant in his decisions. The brothers had been going on patrol a couple times a week now, not nearly as often as they used to but they were more wary now. Especially now that Graham had Hun in his payroll. Hun was a formidable foe at the best of times, but with this new batch of unknown enemies that were also working for Graham the brothers had thought it best to tread carefully. The last thing they needed was to be caught in another ambush or to lead one of the warriors back to the lair and Elizabeth. Not that that had ever happened before, but their underground home had been destroyed a few times now and they weren't willing to risk a fourth time.

Elizabeth never liked when the brothers went out on patrol, but she no longer protested their nightly excursions, knowing all too well that the brothers could care for themselves and would look out for each other. The patrols were never more than a couple hours but it was enough to stop the brothers from going crazy because they were being cooped up in the lair all the time, and they were much happier for it. Much to their relief they hadn't come across the strange new fighters that Graham had employed and Hun too seemed to by lying low. The brothers hadn't been worried about this but after a few weeks they'd gotten wary and had decided to check out the warehouse district to see if they could discover what Hun was planning. But to their surprise the warehouses had been abandoned and cleared out. Hun and the purple dragons had moved ranks – but the brothers hadn't been able to figure out where.

Donatello had guessed that because of Hun's new employer they had probably moved to Graham enterprises on one of the lower levels. This had madesense to the others but they had been unable to check it out for certain. The building was heavily guarded by nightly patrol men after dark. They kept their posts at every door and several around the sides of the building where the turtles could've scaled the sides with their shuko spikes. Not that a few guards would've been a problem to handle ordinarily, the dogs on the other hand had posed a bigger problem as well as the fact that a few guards constantly circled the building at five minute intervals, and even if the brothers were able to take out the guards posted at the side and hide them in the brush the dogs would be able to sniff them out and the guards absence would no doubt be noticed by the patrol men. Raph had suggested merely knocking everyone out and going in weapons out – but Leonardo had been more wary. There was something he felt was wrong with this building, something that screamed at him every time he got close to it. And so reluctantly the brothers had kept their distance and hoped for some glimpse of Hun on the other side of the thick glass windows. But never saw him.

Leo put the kettle of water on the stove so he could fix his early morning pre-meditation tea. He often found it relaxed his nerves and helped settle his spirit so he could focus and fall into his meditative state more easily. He frowned, however, when his phone buzzed in his belt.

Raphael frowned too. When someone called Leo's phone it was never good news.

Leo pulled his phone from his belt and flipped it open with the jerk of his fingers. "April?"

Raphael frowned deeper. This couldn't be good.

Leo's face darkened as he listened to what the red head was saying on the other line. "You sure that's who… ? What else do you know? Are you sure that's safe? No I'm sure you're right – it isn't worth taking the risk. Yeah I will. Thanks, April."

Leonardo flipped his phone closed and sighed rubbing his forehead as if suddenly tired.

"What is it, Leo?" Raph asked impatiently.

"Graham has donated a large sum of money to the local hospitals, clinics, and any other medical facilities in the city, Raph. It's on the news – he's willing to double the amount he's given if one of them finds Elizabeth and gets her safely back to him."

Raph swore quietly so as not to alarm Elizabeth in the next room. "Leo da baby is due in a month but Don said dat dat won't stop it from comin' earlier if it feels like it."

"I know that, Raph."

"So what are we gonna do – it ain't safe fer 'er ta go ta da hospital ta have da baby."

"April suggested that she and Casey take her up to the farmhouse – there's a medical clinic there that can handle childbirth. And since it's a small town there'd be less chance of Graham finding her there."

Raphael's face showed his doubts.

"Raph, it's safer than sending her to a hospital here – or risk Don try to deliver the baby himself and have something go wrong. We don't have a lot of options here."

Raph sighed, relenting. "I'll go talk ta Donny."

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"I'm not going!"

"'Lizbeth, we ain't got another way ta go!"

"I won't do it, Raph! I'm not going to go to some place way out in the country where I don't know anyone."

"Ya know April an' Casey!"

"But I won't have you there!"

Elizabeth broke down into tears, holding her face in her hands as she began to shake.

"'Lizbeth," Raph said quietly as he knelt down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders trying to sooth her. He hadn't been able to put his arms all the way around her for a while now. "Calm down – it's ok. I'll come wit' ya if ya want. I jus' wanna make sure yer safe."

Elizabeth cried harder and turned to bury her face into his plastron.

Raphael gently stroked her long brown hair in his fingers "Come on, 'Lizbeth, it'll be ok. I promise. April and Case will take good care of ya."

Elizabeth blinked and looked up at him. "Why don't I just have the baby here? I'm sure Don could handle it."

"'Lizbeth, ya 'eard what Don said. If someting went wrong he don't got da stuff he'd need ta 'elp ya."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Raph, I'm scared."

"I know ya are – but it'll be ok. I promise."

Raphael bit his lip. Elizabeth had been more difficult to convince than Don had been. At first the purple-banded turtle had resisted the idea too but after some persuasion from April Don had given in, seeming as how it made more sense to be safe than sorry. Elizabeth, however, had refused to even humor the idea she was determined to stay in the city. And Raph was down to his last resort to try and get her to leave with their long time friends. Donatello had warned him not to try and get Elizabeth too upset. He'd done a lot of research on early delivery and had worried if Elizabeth got too stressed out she could go into early labor. None of the brothers wanted to see Elizabeth's baby come out unhealthy. But Raphael knew that Elizabeth was reaching the end of her rope. At thirty two weeks pregnant she had been more emotional than ever and little things tended to set her off. But his suggestion of going with April and Casey to the farmhouse had been the worst thing so far. He had never intended to let her go alone with them, though he knew she'd be perfectly safe with them, but he couldn't convince her that he had planned on going along. She had thought that this was just a ploy to get her to go along with it and that he'd go back on his word as soon as she agreed. It had sent her into hysterics and Raph was hard pressed to calm her down.

"'Lizbeth," Raph said quietly as Elizabeth cried harder into his chest. Elizabeth's fingers curled around the edge of his plastron, brushing the sensitive skin there. He sighed and glanced briefly up at the ceiling. Not at all sure what he should do.

Her crying stopped so abruptly that it caught Raph off guard. He pulled back a little, and was surprised by the sudden pale complexion her face had taken. Her eyes were wide and she released him her hands flying down to her stomach.

"'Lizbeth? What is it? What's da matter?"

"Raph," Elizabeth's voice was so quiet Raph almost missed it.

"What?"

"I... I th-think my water just broke!"

Raphael's eyes widened in shock and he glanced down automatically. "Oh shell."


	24. Chapter 24

**So I had intended to only write one more chapter and then the epilogue, but as I started this chapter it took on a life of its own and I realized that the last chapter would take far too long to get to where I needed it to go and it would have too many holes in it. I therefore decided to go ahead and keep the chapter the way I wrote it but there will be one more chapter and then the epilogue. I will work on the next chapter and will hopefully get it up by next Sunday if I am lucky. In the meantime thank you again to those who take the time to review I appreciate it. I will see you again soon.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 24<strong>

"I don't like dis," Raphael repeated for what had to be hundredth time as he paced back and forth across the lair, much to the annoyance of his brothers. He'd been pacing constantly now for hours, Leo was sure that Raph was determined to wear a trench in the floor.

"We didn't have any choice, Raph." Don said as he frowned from where he sat at the kitchen table with his other brothers. He couldn't blame Raph for being upset, but it didn't make it any easier knowing that April and Casey had no choice but to take Elizabeth to a local hospital when Don had indeed confirmed that Elizabeth's water had broken. All four turtles had been extremely tense and were waiting out the night, waiting for any news – or being ready for the signal that they were needed to come to Elizabeth's rescue.

April had called them after they'd gotten Elizabeth checked into the hospital and had told the guys that she would be unreachable as she was going to be staying with Elizabeth, but Casey would call them every hour with updates on the progress. So far Casey had been calling every other hour and it was making Raph anxious. So far there hadn't been too much to report other than Elizabeth's contractions getting closer and closer together.

The phone on the kitchen table buzzed against the smooth tabletop and Don grabbed it and picked it up on the first ring. "Casey? Oh April! How is she?"

Raph stopped pacing and turned to look at his brother as Don listened to what April was saying on the other end.

Don frowned and nodded. "That was fast. How's she holding up?" Again a long pause and his frown deepened. "I see. Ok. Thanks, April." He flipped his phone shut.

"What is it, Don?" Leo asked, his eyes narrowing behind his mask.

"They're taking Elizabeth to the delivery room. Shouldn't be too much longer now. Elizabeth has been having a really rough time, her blood pressure has climbed and she's in more pain than she should be. The doctors are worried something's wrong so they don't want to wait any longer. They want to get the baby out. They're doing a caesarean section because the baby seems to be in distress too. April will call us back when she knows more."

Raph let out a frustrated growl and slammed his hand into a wall, there was a distinct crack and Don shook his head, standing up and walking over to his red banded brother. "Raph… "

"DON'T!" Raph growled as he held his injured hand to his plastron. "I don't like dis, Don!"

"I don't like it anymore than you do, Raph. But we had no choice – and we have to trust that the doctors know what they're doing. She's better off where she is than here – if she was here I don't know if I'd be able to help her. At least at the hospital she has a better chance. Now let me see your hand!"

Don managed to pry Raph's injured hand away from his plastron, ignoring his brother's irritated growls. He frowned when he saw the swelling. "You probably broke something. It'll have to be set."

"Later!" Raph said jerking his hand out of his brother's grip again. He turned away from his brothers and headed for the dojo.

"Raphael!"

"Let him go, Don. You know how he is when he gets like this," Leo said quietly. He got up from his seat grabbed the tea kettle, he started to fill it with water, but then sighed and put it aside. Not even his favorite beverage could soothe his frayed nerves, just like Raph he was worried about Elizabeth – as were all his brothers. Not only because they were anxious about her and the baby having complications from delivering early – but also from the chance of Graham finding them there at the hospital. He leaned against the counter, folding his arms across his front and glared at the floor. Mikey was somber where he sat at the kitchen table, he hadn't spoken in hours, very out of character for him. Don frowned and walked over to the coffee machine – he put in a new filter and added the dark coffee beans and started it up. It was going to be a long night – and he'd need the caffeine.

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><p>Don jerked as the phone rang again almost two hours later. He reached for the phone automatically, but Raph's dark green hand shot out and grabbed it first.<p>

"April?" It was a demand for information. His brothers stared at their red-banded brother. Raph's jaw was clenched, a few muscles twitched and a vein in his forehead throbbed a little under his dark green skin.

His brothers waited anxiously as Raph's amber eyes glared down at the table top, his now splinted finger rested on the scarred surface, running over a deep scratch in the aged wood.

"An' 'Lizbeth?" Raph's voice was gruff with tension and stress. But then his face relaxed and all the brothers let out sighs of relief. "Ya me too. Tanks, April. Yeah… sure… " He handed the phone to Don who took it immediately.

"April?"

"What is it, Raph?" Leo asked as he and Mikey continued to stare at their brother – unwilling to wait any longer for answers.

"Dey got da baby out. April said dey're still runnin' tests dey wanna see if da baby's ok what with it bein' early an' all."

"And Elizabeth?"

"'Lizbeth's doin' ok – she's in recovery. April said she was bleedin' a lot but dey were able ta git it stopped. She should be fine."

His brothers were obviously relieved and let out breaths they hadn't realized they'd been holding.

"Ok. Yeah, thanks, April." Don flipped the phone closed. "April said Elizabeth should make a full recovery. She'll let us know more about the baby when the doctors are done running tests on her."

"How long will Elizabeth have to stay in the hospital, Don?" Leo asked.

"A few days. April said she's still pretty out of it after the surgery and that she was feeling pretty sick to her stomach. Her doctor was giving her something to help with the nausea when April hung up."

"How long before we know the results on the baby?"

"They could be a few hours. April said she'd call us when they found out anything."

"You think that the baby will be ok, Don?" Mikey asked, speaking up for the first time in hours.

"I don't know, Mikey. Premature babies are prone to all kinds of problems. They haven't had all the time they need to develop properly, they can have breathing or heart problems. They can develop intestinal problems later on. They are often anemic because they don't have enough red blood cells, and jaundice because their livers aren't mature enough to remove the bilirubin from the blood. And they are more prone to getting infections because their immune systems are weaker. There's a lot of things the doctors have to check for."

"What happens if the baby does have some of these complications, Don?" Leo asked frowning.

"The baby will have to stay at the hospital for a few weeks, the doctors might let her go home earlier if she doesn't show any signs of serious complications. Elizabeth was lucky that she was thirty two weeks along because that is pretty close to full term, so the baby has less chance of having serious complications. But if she does have some serious complications like lung or heart problems she could have to stay at the hospital for a while."

Raph growled quietly from where he stood at the edge of the kitchen, glaring at the floor. "Gives dat scum a better chance of findin' 'er."

Don sighed. "I know, Raph."

"Would this be something you could help with, Don?" Leo asked, as he stared at Raphael in concern.

Don shook his head. "It's too risky to bring the baby down here until her immune system builds up, Leo. The risk of her getting sick is greater down here – and with an under developed immune system I just don't think we'd be equipped to take care of the baby if something were to happen. April said that she's going to talk to Elizabeth about staying with her and Casey while the baby is in the hospital. It doesn't take us long to get there – and that way Elizabeth can be close to the hospital."

Leonardo nodded. "She should be safe there too. What with all the surveillance cameras and alarms you've put in April's place."

"The hospital will also be able to contact her if they need to. April has a landline there which would be safer than having Elizabeth giving them her cell phone."

"Will they be able to track her to April's place though, Don?" Leo asked slightly alarmed by this.

"April's address isn't listed, Leo." Don said but he too frowned. "Of course they might ask her for her address… part of their billing system… " Don continued to mumble to himself, suddenly looking rather upset and disturbed by this.

Leo too was displeased, as were Raph and Mikey from the expressions on their faces. All the brothers knew that if Elizabeth had to give April's address to the hospital and if Graham somehow got a hold of it before Elizabeth returned to the lair – that he would be able to find her.

"I'll put extra security at April's place before Elizabeth goes to stay with her," Don said at last. "Just to be safe. There's no point in having any unnecessary risks."

"Do what you have to do, Don," Leo said nodding. "April won't mind. She wouldn't want anything to happen to Elizabeth anymore than we would."

"I'll have to see what I have in the lab – see what extra securities I can install. She already has the alarm and surveillance cameras, maybe I could come up with something to reinforce the doors and windows too… " Don got up and still mumbling to himself went to his lab.

Leo shot Raph a worried look but Raph wasn't looking at his brothers. He was glaring at the floor with so much fury that one would've thought it had insulted him.

"Raph… "

Raph's eyes snapped to Leo's. Leo knew that Raph could really use an outlet to burn off his frustrations, but while waiting for news from April Raph wasn't going to leave the lair. The worry and stress in his brother's eyes made Leo's chest tighten. He wished he could do something, anything to take some of the weight off his brother's shoulders. But nothing he could do or say would change that. Raph looked away from him after a minute and sat down on the couch, Leo heard him flipping through the channels but knew Raph wasn't looking for something to watch – he was merely trying to cope, and couldn't think of any other way to do it.

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><p>It was almost six in the morning before the phone rang again. The brothers were getting nervous, anxious for any news. What was taking so long anyway? This time it was Raph's phone that rang. He jerked it out of his belt and had it to his ear after the first ring. "April? What da shell took ya so long ta… " He suddenly jerked up right, his eyes wide and his jaw dropped a little. "'Lizbeth? What's wrong? What h'ppened?"<p>

Leo's eyes peered over at his brother from the top of the book he'd been trying to read for the last hour, though he'd read the same page for the last ten minutes and hadn't taken in a single word. He closed the book, his eyes narrowing slightly at the distress on his brother's face.

"'Lizbeth, slow down! I can't understand what yer…. " He paused as the sound of hysterical crying could clearly be heard through the speaker. Leo's felt his stomach sink. What had happened? Raph's eyes narrowed and he ground his jaw. "'Lizbeth, I… April? April, what's goin' on? What h'ppened?"

Don emerged from his lab, clearly overhearing his brother's half of the conversation and Mikey too had stopped playing with Klunk and was staring at his brother anxiously.

"What's dat?" Raph asked frowning. "Wait, wait… what does dat… yeah – he's right here. Hang on."

Raph turned as Don approached the couch. "April wants ta talk ta ya, Don."

Don plucked the phone from his brother's fingers. "April? What is it?"

Don listened quietly for several minutes, his jaw bunching and his eyes narrowing. He began to pace back and forth behind the couch. "Are they sure that's what it is?... And the ductus hasn't closed yet?... How serious is this?... Well hopefully those will work... No... No we understand. Did they find anything else?... How long will she… " His frown deepened into a scowl. "I see. Thanks, April."

Don snapped the phone shut and turned back to his impatient brothers. "The doctors finished running their tests on Akemi. She has patent ductus arteriosis."

"Dat's what April said – but Don what da shell does dat mean?"

"It's a heart problem, Raph. It's quite serious. The ductus is an artery that lets the blood bypass the lungs while the baby is in the uterus because it gets its oxygen through the placenta. But when the baby is born the ductus is supposed to close so that the blood flow can get to the lungs and allow the baby to get oxygen. When the ductus doesn't close it can cause heart failure. The doctors did and ultrasound to make sure and they confirmed that the ductus hasn't closed yet."

"What are dey gonna do 'bout it?" Raph asked getting to his feet.

"They are going to give her a drug to try and help the ductus to close – if that doesn't work they'll have to go in and surgically fix it."

"What does this mean for the baby, Don?" Leo asked worriedly.

"It means the baby will have to visit a pediatrician regularly for a while. Not that she wouldn't have had to go in regularly right now anyway being premature and having it be so important for her to get the care she needs. But I don't know really what this means in terms of her staying at the hospital, Leo. I only know what April told me and that's that the doctors are going to give Akemi the pills and see if they help close the ductus so they don't have to operate on her."

"What are the chances of that working?"

"I don't know, Leo." Don said patiently. "April couldn't stay on the phone because Elizabeth isn't handling the news well. She wanted to try and calm her down. She said she'd call back when the doctors told her what they were planning to do. But it won't be for a while."

The stress of the situation settled on the brothers once again, the silence falling between them said more than words could.

* * *

><p>Eventually the turtles began to doze off, their long night of stress and anxiety catching up with them. Raph was the only one who stayed away, too tense and nervous to even think about sleeping. Leo had fallen asleep where he was on the couch, legs spread out in front of him, arms crossed over his plastron, head tipped back against the back of the couch. Mikey was asleep on the floor, mumbling on occasion and twitching a little. The noises from Don's lab had also stopped and Raph was pretty sure that his purple banded brother had fallen asleep at his lab table again.<p>

Raph could feel the long night weighing down on him as well, but unlike his brothers he refused to let himself relax. When he felt his eyelids start to get heavy he got up and paced around, his phone clenched in his hand, squeezing it so tightly the casing threatened to crack in his grip. He would pace until he was wide awake, allowing his frustrations at Graham making this so much more complicated fueling him, sparking his anger and giving him the boost he needed to keep his eyes open.

Splinter emerged from his room at long last and spotted his obviously agitated son, and his clearly exhausted other sons.

"Raphael."

Raphael stopped mid step and spun around to face him, his narrowed eyes and tight jaw loosened when he saw Splinter's black eyes on him.

"Yes, Sensei?"

"I would like to speak with you, my son."

Raphael sighed but followed Splinter back into his room. He knelt automatically on the mat opposite his Sensei and kept his eyes locked on the ground, his muscles were trembling with the tension and couldn't help but feel anxious as he clenched his shell cell in his hand even tighter.

Splinter sighed. "Raphael, my son."

Raphael reluctantly lifted his head and stared at Splinter.

"Raphael, I have been watching you and Elizabeth over the last several months. I have watched as your feelings have grown for each other. I feared that this would not be a good bond for either of you. Especially after discovering Elizabeth's pregnancy. I feared that one or both of you would become most aggrieved if this were not to work out, but I have seen a change in you, my son – as your affections for this woman have grown, so have you. You care for her."

It wasn't a question.

"I love 'er, Sensei."

Splinter stared at Raphael for a long moment. "And I have no doubt she has the same affections for you, my son. But I have also heard of the baby's current predicament, having felt your brothers' fears and unease with the news that the child struggles as it clings to this life. And I have also felt an unease in Elizabeth's spirit. The baby will not be strong enough to return to the sewers with Elizabeth. Not until it is much stronger."

"Hai, Sensei," Raphael said softly.

"Raphael, Elizabeth is in danger from the man she has married as long as she is topside. Even if she accepts the invitation to stay with our friends. There will always be the danger that she could be found by her enemies."

Raphael's eyes dropped to his knees, glaring at them.

"I also feel like this is something in which we have no options but to accept that which fate has dealt us. I know if she stays with our friends that you will be visiting her often, Raphael. But, my son, do not forget your responsibilities you have with your family as well."

Raphael bowed slightly. "Hai, Sensei."

* * *

><p>"Raph… Raph… "<p>

Raphael growled and swung at his brother with one hand. He was tired and was getting irritated as Leo shook his arm.

His brother avoided the blow and shook his arm again. "Raph, wake up. Come on, bro. Elizabeth's on the phone. She wants to talk to you."

Raphael's eyes snapped open. Elizabeth had called again? Leonardo smirked and handed his brother his shell cell. Raph sat up stiffly, his back hurting from the position he'd fallen asleep in. "'Lizbeth?"

"Raph."

Elizabeth sounded so much calmer, so much more like herself. In fact she sounded much happier than she had since the last time she'd called.

"Raph, Akemi is going to be ok. The doctors said she… the pills are working."

Raph felt his mouth curling up in a smile. "Dat's great, 'Lizbeth."

"April said that I could stay with her and Casey until Akemi would be healthy enough to come home. I… Raph, she's so beautiful. I can't give her up."

Raph chuckled. "I can't wait ta see 'er."

"Dr. Beckstrom said if things look ok she can leave next week."

"What 'bout you? Do ya know when ya can leave?"

"In a couple days if everything still looks ok. Can you grab some of my clothes and take it to April's for me?"

"Yeah, sure. How long do ya tink it'll take fer ya an' Akemi ta come back?"

"It'll probably be a few weeks, Raph. They said she's more prone to getting sick since her immune system is immature. But hopefully it won't be too long."

"We'll take da crib an' stuff ta April's too. Dat way it's der an' ya got it til yer both ready ta come 'ome."

"Ok, thank you, Raph. Will you be at April's? Will I see you when I can leave?"

Raph smirked again. "Yeah I'll be der. I'll be waitin' fer ya."

"It'll give me something to look forward to."

Raph could hear the smile in her voice. "I'll see ya in a couple days, den."

"Ok, Raph. I love you."

"I love ya too."

Elizabeth disconnected the line. Raph pulled the phone away from his ear reluctantly and rubbed a hand over his face. He got slowly to his feet and went to find his brothers. They had work to do.

* * *

><p>Kaydee Walker could feel the sweat on her palms as she headed to the Dean of Medicine and hospital administrator's office. In her thirty plus years of practicing medicine she had never been so nervous to go and talk to the Dean of Medicine before, but this was different. This was a delicate situation.<p>

She knocked and was told to enter. She had to try a couple times to twist the knob, her sweaty palms made it almost impossible to grip the handle properly. Finally she wiped her hand on her pants and was able to grip the handle. She pushed the door open and stepped into the office.

Dean Phillips was sitting at his desk, reading over some papers, frowning, his black hair had small shocks of gray mixed in with it. His gray eyes were narrowed, cold, calculating, his strong jaw clenched, a few wrinkles had formed across his proud brow. He glanced up as she approached his desk.

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Phillips, but I felt like this couldn't wait any longer."

Dean Phillips put down the paper he was reading and tented his fingers, peering at Kaydee over the top of them. "And what would that be?"

"Mr. Phillips, the donation that Mr. Cooper gave us a couple weeks ago in exchange for informing him if his wife showed up… "

Dean's eyebrows rose and his lips pursed. "Has she been admitted?"

"Yes, sir, last night. She fits Mr. Cooper's description of her exactly. But she's given us a false name, apparently she doesn't want us to know who she really is."

Dean frowned. "What name is she using?"

"Elizabeth Hamato. She claims to be here with her cousin and her cousin's husband. They brought her in after her water broke."

"She's had a baby?"

"Yes, sir."

"I will contact Mr. Cooper – no doubt he will want to make sure it really is his wife. Thank you for informing me, Miss… ?"

"Walker, sir."

"Miss Walker." Dean Phillips returned to his paper, the conversation clearly over.

Kaydee ran a hand through her own gray hair and then down her round belly. She could tell that Dean Phillips had nothing more to discuss with her as far as he was concerned on this subject. She had done her job and he would take it from here. She turned and walked out of the office.

Dean Phillips looked up as the door closed then set down the papers he'd been reading again and picked up his phone, dialing a number and cradling the phone to his ear while he waited for the other end to be picked up.

"Cooper Enterprises."

"Graham Cooper, please. This is Dean Phillips, Dean of Medicine at Mercy General. It's important."

"Please hold."

Dean Phillips waited impatiently for almost five minutes before the line picked up and the same bored voice answered again.

"Mr. Cooper is unavailable right now. May I have a number for him to call you back?"

"No. This is regarding his wife. I'd prefer to speak to him as soon as I can."

The girl's voice suddenly sounded panicked. "Hold again for a minute please."

Dean Phillips frowned but waited, less than thirty seconds later the line picked up.

"This had better be important!" A gruff voice barked, with more anger than necessary into Dean's ear. He flinched and pulled the phone away for a minute before returning it and swallowing hard, his throat suddenly very dry.

"Graham Cooper?"

"Obviously."

"Dean Phillips, Dean of Medicine at Mercy General. I have information about your wife Elizabeth."

He could tell at once that he had the man's full attention.

"What about her?"

"She has been admitted."

"Is she injured?"

"No. She was pregnant." Dean Phillips turned to his computer and began searching through the hospital records, quickly finding Elizabeth's record and staring at the information there. "Looks like she had a baby girl around 2:00 this morning."

"Are you sure it's her?"

"She has given us a false name but she fits the description you've given us."

"I will send one of my men to check. If it is indeed Elizabeth I will send you a check in the morning."

The line clicked as the other man hung up.

Dean Phillips frowned as he hung up his phone. For some reason he suddenly felt dirty. Something felt wrong here, though he wasn't sure what it was. Why would Elizabeth give the hospital a fake name? Unless the baby wasn't Cooper's baby. But even still something felt wrong. Dean Phillips promised to check up on Mrs. Cooper after she was returned home to her husband. Satisfied with this he returned to his stack of paper work.


	25. Chapter 25

**Ok so I wasn't sure when I was going to have time to write this chapter so I had planned for the end of the week, just to be safe. But as it turns out - I was wide awake last night and found this to be a good time to at least get the chapter started. But once again it took on a life of its own and I had it finished before I knew it. So wonderful! Hooray! And Yippee. I'm going to do some editing on the epilogue, make sure it is tweaked just the way I like it and I will post that for sure by the end of the week. Warning for this chapter. This story is rated M for a reason. As I've said before when I first started this story - it is darker than a lot of the other things I've written. You've been warned. That being said - enjoy.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 25<strong>

The next week and half was chaotic for Elizabeth. After being released from the hospital her time was consumed with running back and forth to the hospital with April or Casey to visit Akemi, and at nights getting her fill of Raphael when he wasn't out on patrol with his brothers. The turtles often beat Elizabeth to April and Casey's place because Elizabeth often stayed so late at the hospital trying to get her fill of her daughter. The happiest moment she could ever remember was when she'd been able to hold Akemi for the first time.

Akemi's little body had been so warm in her arms, her bright blue eyes looking up at Elizabeth with total trust and love and her tiny little fingers had wrapped around one of Elizabeth's and she hadn't been able to hold back the tears of joy as they'd fallen onto her daughter's blanket.

April and Casey had been most helpful, driving her to and from the hospital, never getting impatient as the long hours passed and Elizabeth never seemed to tire of being there as long as her daughter was close by. Her ductus had closed, much to the relief of April, Casey, Elizabeth, and the doctors. And except for a case of jaundice Akemi had had no major problems since. In fact as the days had passed, Akemi's doctors had informed Elizabeth that if all kept progressing as it was she would be able to take Akemi home in a few days. Elizabeth had been thrilled.

Raphael and his brothers had brought the crib and some of the things that April had bought for Akemi up to April's apartment. April and Casey had set up the guest room for her and the brother's had put the crib in there, Donatello had even had time to make her a changing table, this too had carved wolves in the polished wood, but these had been painted delicately, their grays and black, shadowed so perfectly one would've thought it was a picture instead of a mere painting. Mikey had been embarrassed when Elizabeth had hugged him tightly and kissed him on the cheek. Raph had frowned a little, but had cheered up when she hugged him as well, longer and tighter and kissed him on the lips with such passion that his brothers had had to look away, uncomfortable with such a display.

All of the turtles had loved looking at the pictures of Akemi that April had taken at the hospital and brought home for them to see. Pictures of Akemi in the nursery, of Elizabeth holding her for the first time, Elizabeth feeding her a bottle, Casey and April each taking a turn holding her while Elizabeth took the pictures. Raphael had pulled April aside one night and asked to get a copy of the picture of Elizabeth holding Akemi for the first time.

He just hadn't been able to get over the expression on Elizabeth's face, and always wanted to remember that moment. The way her cheeks had been pink, her eyes alight with excitement, the way her lips had been turned up in joy, and the single tear that had been spilling down her cheek as Akemi's fingers had wrapped around her own. Raphael had never seen her look more beautiful than she did in that picture.

And then, at long last. Almost two weeks after Akemi was born, Elizabeth was allowed to take her daughter home. The turtles, and April and Casey had discussed the living arrangements for the next few weeks while Elizabeth continued to take Akemi in for regular visits to her pediatrician and Akemi continued to build up a strong immune system. By mutual agreement it was decided that Elizabeth would stay with April and Casey until Akemi's health permitted her to return to the lair with the turtles, which would probably take a few more weeks. It was also decided that after nightly patrols one of the turtles would always keep watch over the apartment in case Graham or someone else found out where Elizabeth was staying. April and Casey didn't protest this, for they knew that the turtles weren't going to take no for an answer. And Elizabeth, while at first having been upset over the notion that one of the turtles would always be outside despite the weather changes and the dangers that Graham's men had proven to be in the past, she too had reluctantly given way to the turtles' wishes. The turtles had agreed to trade off days so it wasn't always one brother out every night. Raphael had volunteered for the first night's watch, which his brothers had given him knowing that he had been there the most for Elizabeth during her pregnancy. Michelangelo had called dibs on the second night before Leonardo could assign or claim the night himself. He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet in his excitement. Leonardo had taken the third night, which left Donatello to take the fourth. Everyone had seemed satisfied with this arrangement.

Overwhelmed with her feelings of nervous excitement Elizabeth packed Akemi into her car seat and followed April and Casey out to their aged old van, piling into the backseat and strapping Akemi into the seat next to her. No one took notice of the taxi that was sitting behind them. There were taxis all over the city. April smiled over the seat as Akemi gurgled happily in her car seat and Casey started up the van and pulled out into traffic.

* * *

><p>David Sanderson watched from the backseat of the taxi cab he had engaged for the day, having already paid the driver at least three times more than he would make on a normal fare, he knew the driver wouldn't get impatient or start asking stupid questions because he'd offered to double that amount if the driver would do exactly what he wanted without question. The driver, a rather heavy set man, who didn't seem to mind at all sitting outside the hospital while he stuffed cream cakes into his rather large mouth, had been quite cooperative, much to David's satisfaction. After the informant Jacob Bloomingsfield had indeed confirmed that it was Elizabeth at the hospital, David had been assigned to watch and see where it was she was hiding and to report back to Graham with the address. Not that Graham hadn't already hacked into the hospital's records and found the address Elizabeth had given, but he hadn't been stupid enough to believe she would actually be so willing to give up the place she'd been able to disappear to for the last seven and a half months. Graham was not blind, you did not give up your one advantage when dealing with a dangerous opponent, and he knew Elizabeth well enough to know she was smarter than that. And so he had informed David that he was to see who she was with, and where she was staying, by following her in a cab. A company car would be all too recognizable to Elizabeth, but who would suspect a taxi? Taxis were all over the city, and no one would even suspect that a taxi was following Elizabeth back home.<p>

And David had willingly given into Graham's requests when told just how much he would make with this one assignment. It was more than most people would make in a few years of work. It was enough for David to be able to retire from the company and move out of the city with his wife Amelia, who was struggling with her health thanks to the smog and dirt of the city. They'd considered moving to the country for a few years now, but had never been able to afford it. David had always been bounced around from job to job, position to position, none of them much better than the last. But then he'd been taken on by Graham Cooper as a personal informant and the pay, while just topping that of his last job had been secure. Graham hadn't always been the easiest man to work for, and in fact David had despised doing some of the things he'd had to do for the man. But with Amelia's health steadily declining, he had kept the job for the wonderful health benefits that had come with it. And now after several years of hard work, David had hit the jackpot. He couldn't wait to inform his wife Amelia that now they could afford that little cottage they'd fallen in love with in Connecticut.

"Follow the van driver," David said coolly as the van pulled away from the curb. The pudgy driver, picked up his gigantic soda, sipped it, nodded once to him in the rear view mirror, and shifted the taxi into gear. David drummed his fingers impatiently on his knees. Memorizing the van's license plate number in case this incompetent fool lost them. He could at least look up where the van was registered and walk by the place casually later and see if the van was actually there. If it was he would know that he had found where Elizabeth was hiding.

As it was, the cab driver, seeming intent to put a few more hostess cupcakes in his gullet actually kept pace with the van. Casually staying as close as he could without seeming suspicious. Not always changing lanes when the van changed lanes, and letting a few cars come between them. If the van suspected anything, they didn't show it.

David was pleased with the driver's appearing casual approach in following the van. And as promised the driver asked no questions. When the van turned right, the cab driver followed. The van drove a few more blocks and then turned into an alley. The cab driver never broke pace with the traffic. But Graham's eyes were fixed on the van as the passengers, including Elizabeth piled out. "Slow down, driver," he snapped. The cab driver obediently slowed, but not enough for the unsuspecting passengers of the white van to notice. David, already having a pen and pad of paper ready scribbled down the address as the three people, and the new baby walked into the old antique store and the apartment above it. He smirked. "Drive on, driver."

The driver obediently hit the gas again and David relaxed against the seat, pleased with himself as he pulled out his phone. "I have the address, sir. I'm on my way to give it to you." He smiled again at the answer on the other end. He snapped the phone shut, pulled out a large wad of bills and handed them to the driver. "Cooper Enterprises, driver. And step on it."

* * *

><p>Elizabeth should have known that they would have a welcome party waiting for them. The turtles had come up through the basement entrance and were waiting anxiously for their return.<p>

"Can I hold her? Can I hold her?" Mikey asked dancing around as if he had ants in his shell. He was beaming from ear to ear and his eyes were sparking in anticipation.

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh at the orange-banded turtle's enthusiasm. "Of course, Mikey." She set the car seat down on the low coffee table and pushed back the top, revealing the little passenger inside.

Akemi blinked up at her strange visitors. The turtles all crowded in around to see her in person for the first time. She had dark brown curls that were half hidden under the cap she wore. Her tiny little hands hidden in the sock like gloves and her feet as well were booted to keep them warm. Elizabeth had dressed her in one of the outfits April had bought for her. A little onesie, white with blue splotches, and a little turtle on the bottom. April had found it online and couldn't resist. Elizabeth had thought it appropriate for Akemi's first introduction to the turtles.

"Come on, sweet heart," Elizabeth cooed as she lifted the baby from the car seat. "There are some people here who want to meet you."

Mikey, still bouncing in his excitement beamed as Akemi looked at him.

Elizabeth looked at Mikey and smiled. "Go sit down on the couch, Mikey, and I'll hand her to you."

Mikey did as he was instructed, sitting down and waiting anxiously on the couch as Elizabeth carried the baby to him and gently placed Akemi in his arms. Mikey's face lit up. It was as if he'd never seen a baby before. And, Elizabeth thought, he probably hasn't. At least not this close up.

"How come she has socks on her hands?" Mikey asked, looking away from Akemi and expectantly at Elizabeth.

"To keep her hands warm – and to protect her from her fingernails. She's too little to know that fingernails can scratch."

"She's so tiny." Mikey said as he held her carefully. He gently ran the back of his finger down Akemi's cheek, touching her soft skin.

Elizabeth laughed a little. "She'll get bigger. She's a good eater for being so small. That's one of the reasons the doctors let her come home so fast."

Akemi blinked up at Michelangelo, her blue eyes locked on his face as if not quite sure what to make of him.

"Hey, Akemi, I'm Mikey. And I'm going to teach you how to do all kinds of things. Like how to do cool tricks on a skateboard, and how to beat the tops scores in video games, and how to like comic books and I'll even let you play with my action figures – as long as you're careful with them."

Elizabeth grinned as Michelangelo's brothers shook their heads in disgust. But Elizabeth was pleased that Mikey seemed so enthusiastic about spending time with Akemi, even if she wouldn't be up to doing any of those things for a very long time.

Mikey looked up. "Someone else want to hold her?" He grinned, and Elizabeth wondered if maybe he was hiding something behind that grin. He looked at his blue-banded brother. "Come on, Leo – you want to hold her."

Leonardo hesitated.

Raphael punched his brother on the shoulder. "Come on, Leo. Ya ain't gonna break 'er like ya do da microwave."

Leonardo's face darkened in his embarrassment but finally he nodded. Elizabeth took Akemi from Mikey and handed him to Leonardo. Leonardo's hold was much stiffer at first, as if afraid she would suddenly explode right there in his arms. Elizabeth had to fight to keep the grin off her face. It was obvious that Leonardo wasn't at all sure what to do with something so small and what he perceived to be breakable. But after a few minutes he visibly relaxed, even as Akemi began to kick her legs up and down inside the blanket she was swaddled in.

Mikey snickered and watched his brother.

"She's really… " Leo suddenly frowned and sniffed. "Uh, Elizabeth? I think she needs a diaper change."

Mikey busted into guffaws of laughter and Elizabeth chuckled and took Akemi from Leonardo. She carried her daughter into the guest room to change her diaper.

"Man you should've seen the look on your face, Leo!" Mikey crowed.

Raph smacked his brother on the back of the head. "Chuckle head."

After a few minutes Elizabeth returned and Raph and Don each took a turn holding Akemi, but Leo didn't seem too eager to hold her again so soon. Elizabeth had to fight the smile at the way Leo shifted uncomfortably with his brother's teasing with Akemi being so immediately comfortable with him she was able to go to the bathroom minutes after he picked her up. Elizabeth knew it wouldn't have mattered who was holding her. Akemi had to go - so she'd gone. Elizabeth had the feeling that she'd started to go when Mikey had asked Leo if wanted to hold her, and from the grin on Mikey's face he'd known it. Akemi began to fuss and Elizabeth walked into the kitchenette to fix her a bottle.

As Akemi sucked greedily on the rubber nipple Elizabeth saw the brothers talking in a hushed conversation, then Raph broke away and came over to her. "We're headin' out fer a few hours. Gonna patrol fer a while den I'll be back."

Elizabeth nodded her understanding. "We'll see you later then."

Raph smirked and kissed her quickly. There was a chorus of goodbyes from the others and they were gone, slipping out through the side window, and closing it behind them.

* * *

><p>Over the next few days Elizabeth had fallen into the routine of feedings and diaper changes that came with being a mother. She found that sleep eluded her most nights, especially when Akemi was fussy and she worried that she and Akemi were disrupting April and Casey as well, though they both reassured her that with midnight calls from the guys and when sometimes all nighters were necessary because of their relationship with the turtles that they weren't at all disturbed by Akemi's crying. April had even volunteered to help with the night time feedings, and Elizabeth had gratefully accepted, desperate to get just another couple hours of sleep.<p>

As promised the turtles took turns watching the apartment after their nightly patrols. Showing up somewhere between eleven and one. Sometimes they'd stop in briefly, and other times they wouldn't. Raph and Mikey both seemed to be the ones anxious to come in and say hello. Raph for Elizabeth and Mikey for Akemi. Leo had taken a very formal approaching, stopping at the window to let Elizabeth know he'd arrived and then staying on the roof and watching the apartment from above. Don had only come in the apartment for a few cups of coffee, he looked rather tired as if he'd been spending the past few nights working late in his lab, and like Leo he stayed on the roof. Elizabeth had a feeling he was pacing around up there to keep himself awake.

It was getting close to ten o'clock when April knocked on the guest bedroom door. Elizabeth looked up from the book she'd been reading. Akemi was asleep in her crib and Elizabeth was taking advantage of the situation to start the new book April had given her. She wasn't tired thanks to April watching Akemi this afternoon so she'd been able to grab a nap.

April smiled at her as she stuck her head inside the room. "Casey and I were thinking about going out and getting a rental movie and some take out. You want anything?"

"Where you heading?" Elizabeth asked as she set the book down on her lap, using her finger to mark her place.

"There's a pizza place a few blocks away, close to the video store. Or there's a Chinese place a block down from that."

"Either is fine with me," Elizabeth said with a shrug. "I'll eat anything."

April suddenly seemed uncertain. "You want to come with us so you aren't alone? Raph isn't here yet."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Don't be silly, April. Raph's already called – he and the others will be finishing their patrol in half an hour and Akemi's asleep. It'd wake her if I got her now – and she's been really cranky the last couple nights. I'd prefer to just let her sleep. I'll be fine for half an hour."

April smiled, reassured by this. "Ok, Elizabeth. We'll be back soon." She closed the door and a few minutes later. Elizabeth heard the apartment door close and lock as April and Casey left. She yawned and stretched again, then slid her legs off the edge of the bed and stood up, walking over to the crib and staring down at Akemi, who was sleeping peacefully, her hands up by her face, balled up into loose fists.

Elizabeth walked out of the bedroom deciding that maybe she'd fix herself a cup of tea. She liked reading a good book with a cup of something warm to drink, it always made it feel more homey somehow. She walked into the living room, but frowned when she heard the knob to the apartment door twist and the lock rattle a little. Had April forgotten something? The deadbolt slowly twisted and the door opened. But it wasn't April or Casey that entered the apartment. It wasn't even Raphael. It was the man she feared the most. Graham had found her.

Before Elizabeth could take two steps towards the phone, rough hands were on her, throwing her to the floor, wrapping around her neck choking the life out of her. She felt a sharp blow to her stomach and another to her face.

"You thought you could hide from me! That I wouldn't find you! You thought wrong!"

Elizabeth kicked out, catching Graham in the gut and he gasped releasing his hold for a brief moment she squirmed away, running for the bedroom and snatching Akemi out of the crib. She slid the window open and spotted the fire escape. If she could just get to it…

A hand caught her long dark hair and she was flung backwards, away from the window.

Akemi began to scream.

"No!" Elizabeth scrambled to get to her feet but once again found her hair caught in a tight hold and her head banged into the wall, leaving a smear of blood by the light switch. She kicked out again, catching Graham once again by surprise. He growled and his blow caught her in the middle of her face. She fell to the floor and crawled towards the screaming baby, but a blow to her stomach had her retching and the blood flowing into her eyes was blurring her vision.

Graham reached for the baby, scowling at the tiny newborn. "Is this that creature's? Have you soiled yourself so completely, Lizzy?"

Elizabeth launched herself at Graham, ignoring her injuries. "LET HER GO! LET HER GO!" She beat on Graham with her fists, every part of him she could reach. A blow to the temple and kick to the gut sent her sprawling to the floor again. She could hear Akemi's screams through the ringing in her ears and forced herself to get up again. Desperate to save her baby. It didn't matter what happened to her. She grabbed at the bundle of blankets and Akemi's screams intensified.

Elizabeth felt blow after blow but she refused to release the blankets that held her precious daughter within them. A kick to the stomach so hard it sent her flying into a side table, knocking it over and smashing the lamp on it left Elizabeth winded. She couldn't hear Akemi crying anymore. She blinked the blood from her eyes and watched as Graham carelessly tossed the bundle of blankets roughly to the ground. It thumped with such finality, and yet Akemi didn't cry.

"NO!" Elizabeth ran for her daughter but Graham caught her by the throat, choking the life out of her.

"I gave you everything, Lizzy. All I ever asked was for you."

Elizabeth gasped as Graham's face got closer to her own. She could smell the whiskey on his breath, and she could feel her body bucking, her eyes bulging as her lungs screamed for the air they were unable to get.

* * *

><p>"We'll see you in the morning, Raph." Leo said as the brothers stopped a few blocks away from April's apartment. "Remember if you see anything… "<p>

"Yeah, yeah, Leo, I know da drill." Raph grumbled waving his brother off. "I'll call if someting looks off." He shook his head and started the run for April's apartment alone while his brothers slid down the fire escape and into the manhole cover below.

Raph felt as if he could run forever. There was nothing more refreshing or more energizing than jumping from roof to roof in the city. It was just so invigorating. He grinned as he spotted April's apartment and leapt lightly onto the roof, climbing down the fire escape to the top level where April's apartment was. He frowned when he reached the window. It was dark in there. He tried the window but found it locked. Frowning deeper he knocked but was again surprised when there was no answer. Had everyone already gone to bed? He knew Elizabeth was more tired than usual these days, but usually she'd wait for him to at least say hello before going to bed, and she'd known that he was on his way. And where were April and Casey?

Something sent tingles running up and down his back. He pulled out his sai and went to the next window, finding that one unlatched he pushed it open and slipped inside. A darkness seemed to hang about the apartment tonight, a darkness hidden by the shadows that flooded the apartment. His sense of unease built.

"'Lizbeth?"

He frowned when he got no answer. Had she gone out somewhere with April and Casey? But why wouldn't they leave any lights on for him?

Raph's eyes narrowed as he let his eyes adjust to the black apartment. Using the wall and his memory as a guide he followed it in the direction of the light switch. It smelled funny. Kind of coppery – or rusty. Was Casey working on his bike in the apartment? April rarely let him do that – but he hadn't been complaining of any problems with his bike lately.

He stepped in something sticky and warm. Ugh. He fumbled around on the wall until his fingers found the switch. He flipped it up and it flooded the apartment with light revealing the horror that it had been hiding until now.

"'LIZBETH!"

Raphael rushed over to the limp figure of Elizabeth. Her face was pale her lips blue and swollen, dark bruises in the shapes of hand prints had already covered her swollen neck. Blood had pooled beneath her, and to Raph's horror he saw it had been her blood he'd stepped in. He'd left several bloody footprints as he'd made his way over to the wall to turn on the light.

In a split second Raph's phone was in his hands and up to his ear. "DONNY!" He didn't have to explain further the sheer panic and the way his voice cracked was enough to make Don understand that something had happened.

Raph didn't hear his brother's answer. His phone had dropped from his numb fingers as he'd pressed his fingers desperately against Elizabeth's swollen neck, hoping for a pulse. Her skin was cool underneath his fingers and her head turned slightly from the pressure he was putting on her neck.

Raph couldn't breathe properly. Couldn't think. Couldn't move.

"RAPHAEL!"

"Raph?"

"Raphie? What's the big… RAPH!" Mikey's joking tone disappeared fast and his usually bouncing mannerisms vanished.

Leonardo rushed across the room, pulling Raph off Elizabeth's body. Donatello knelt down next to her, pushing his fingers against her neck. Leo could see from Don's grim expression that things were bad. If the pool of blood wasn't a good indicator, her pale complexion and blue swollen lips were. He could feel Raph's muscles trembling under his hands and gripped them tighter.

Leo saw from the corner of his eye Mikey picking up the small bundle of blankets. He saw the baby's head dip back crazily and swallowed hard. Her neck was obviously broken. Akemi was gone. Mikey's mask was wet with tears as he held the broken body to him.

Leo looked around the small apartment. Whatever had gone down here had obviously been a violent struggle. There was blood on several of the walls, blood on the floor, a smashed lamp and overturned side table. Leo had no doubt on who had done this – but how had Graham found her? And gotten past Don's extra security measures?

Don sat back on his heels then slowly got up, he turned to look at his brothers with empty eyes. "Raph… " his brother's name sounded empty, quiet. Don's face pained.

"NO!" Raph growled he pushed Leo off him and dove for the window.

"RAPH! DON'T!" Leo called, but Raph was gone. Leo growled and turned back to his other brothers. "Stay here! Wait for April and Casey! I'm going to make sure he doesn't get himself killed! Have April and Casey call the police – then get out of here!"

"Ok, Leo." Don said quietly.

Leo's eyes snapped to Mikey for a brief moment before he too dove out of the window and ran after his brother who was already far ahead.

* * *

><p>Graham turned on the sink in his personal bathroom, washing the dried blood off his hands. The water turned pink, swirling almost lazily down the drain, washing the last bits of Elizabeth from his life. He pulled the wedding band off his finger and flushed it down the commode.<p>

He glared at his reflection in the mirror. He had a black eye forming and a split lip. Those were going to be hard to explain away - unless he told them he'd been mugged. Yes that would work. The other bruises would be easier to hide. Elizabeth's hits hadn't been strong enough to do any real damage, and the bruises would fade in a few days.

He smirked. How pathetic. Putting up such a fight to save a freak's offspring. If he hadn't known better he would've thought the thing was actually all human. There was no trace of mutant in the baby. But Graham hadn't taken any chances. He'd felt the baby's neck snap like a chicken bone before he dropped the disgusting thing onto the floor and finished Elizabeth off. He'd made sure there was no breath of life in her when he'd left the apartment.

She'd been careless, she'd never really cared for him, and she'd assumed she'd be safe with those people, whoever they were. Graham had been patiently waiting them out, hoping to catch Elizabeth alone, and tonight he'd been lucky. He would be eternally grateful to David for informing him of his late wife's whereabouts and he'd already paid the man handsomely for it. Too bad David had quit after receiving the money, claiming his ailing wife had had her heart set on moving to the country and now they finally had enough to do it. Graham was sorry to see him go. He'd been a good employee, but he was replaceable. They always were.

Graham took off his bloodstained jacket and ruined shirt. He'd have to destroy them when he got home. Taking them to a dry cleaner would bring up suspicious questions and Graham had no time for such nonsense. Besides, like his employees and his late wife – they were replaceable.

The slightest whisper of wind gave away the arrival of his late wife's defender. The father of the spawn no doubt. Graham turned and grinned at the angry, crouched mutant turtle. Twin fork like weapons in his hands.

"And to what do I owe this great honor?" Graham asked as he reached for the bottle of whiskey on his desk. "Come for a social call have we? I'd offer you a drink – but from the looks of things you aren't here for pleasantries."

Raph growled, his hands clenching the handles of his sais tighter. "Ya killed 'er!"

Graham looked thoughtful for a minute, as if pondering this bit of information for the first time. "True, but you had to realize it was inevitable. I would have found her sooner or later. She got careless, sloppy. Neither of which help anyone survive in this city."

Raph launched himself at Graham and Graham ducked, flinging the whiskey bottle at Raphael. Raph turned and the bottle shattered harmlessly off his shell. He whipped his sai around catching Graham on the cheek with the end of the of his sai. Blood spilled down Graham's cheek. Graham frowned and touched it, he seemed surprised by the blood as if he'd been convinced he couldn't bleed at all. Raph launched himself again, and once again Graham ducked, catching Raph in the stomach with a sharp kick. Raph barely felt it. He landed, spun and launched himself again. This time catching Graham around the middle and knocking him clean off his feet.

Graham laughed as Raph raised his sai. "Do you think killing me is going to bring her back?"

Raph growled angrily, pressing the tip of the longest blade of his sai to the man's throat, watching as blood began to trickle down onto the carpet.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't!" Raph growled through bared teeth.

Graham laughed, as if he found this situation the funniest thing he'd ever been in. It made Raph's blood boil. The tip of the blade pressed deeper into his neck.

"RAPHAEL!"

Raph didn't even bother to look up as Leo's voice rang throughout the room. All he could see was Elizabeth's lifeless body, thrown carelessly on the floor, and now the scum who had killed her was laying here, laughing about it as if it were all a big joke.

Leo rushed to his brother, wrapping his arm around his brother's bicep and jerking it up and away from the man's throat. The blade ripped through flesh and more blood spilled but it was nothing fatal. "Raphael!"

"Get off me!" Raph tried to jerk his arm way but Leo held fast.

"Raphael, this is not the answer! His death will solve NOTHING!"

"I ain't gonna let 'im 'urt no one else! We shoulda done dis a long time ago. 'Lizbeth would still be alive if we 'ad!"

Graham laughed harder at this.

Leonardo growled and with a swift move the man was unconscious. Leo turned his attention back to his brother. "Raph, Elizabeth wouldn't want you to do this! She wouldn't want you to lower yourself this way!"

Leo watched as something inside his brother seemed to break. Raph jerked his arm out of his brother's hold and walked back towards the window. Leo sighed and rolled Graham to his side, tying his hands behind his back. He looked up at the sound of the sirens blaring from outside and knew that April had told the cops where to find Elizabeth's killer. He walked quietly over to his brother and touched his shoulder gently. Raph shrugged it off, his hands still clenched on the handles of his sai, but his mask was damp with tears.

"Come on, Raph, we have to get out of here before we're spotted." Leo said quietly.

Raph didn't say a word but disappeared out of the window, with Leo ghosting him. They watched from the rooftop as the cops stormed the building and a few short minutes later Graham, handcuffed and looking rather bruised was pushed into a cop car, the sirens blared again and then they were gone. Raph said nothing as he walked slowly away from his brother. Leo let him go. He knew Raph wouldn't be coming home tonight. His brother needed to be alone so he could grieve in peace.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Continued: Now before I get tons and tons of hate mail and death threats sent to me. This was a really hard chapter for me - I didn't enjoy doing what I did in this chapter, so please don't think I did but this was the chapter I've been building up to. This was the way I'd always intended for the story to sway. I had never intended for it to end any other way. And I will explain why when I post the epilogue. **


	26. Chapter 26

**Epilogue**

The sun barely peeked out between the thick heavy gray clouds, and with the distant rumble of thunder there was the promise of rain. It seemed appropriate. This wasn't the day that the sun should shine. It should be dark and gloomy on a day like this. Samuel turned away from the window and walked over to his mirror, his shaking fingers fumbling with his tie again, fumbling on the silk and he growled in his frustration before jerking the tie off from around his collar.

The last few days had been hard on all of them, he'd never seen his parents so broken before. He'd never seen his dad even cry before. But he had when they'd received the phone call from the New York Police Department telling them that Elizabeth and… and Akemi were dead. Samuel hadn't even known Elizabeth was pregnant, and from the stunned looks on his parents' faces, they hadn't either. Why hadn't Elizabeth called them? Why hadn't she come home when she'd discovered that Graham wasn't the man she'd married.

It was true that Elizabeth had had a big fight with their father when she told them she wanted to move to the city to become a fashion designer. Her father hadn't wanted her to go, he'd wanted her to stay nearby. But Elizabeth had always been very strongly willed, going after her dreams, despite the misgivings of others. She'd done it for as long as Samuel could remember during their childhood and teenage years. And had only gotten more stubborn and headstrong as she slipped into her adult years. Elizabeth hadn't been in the city very long when she called to announce her engagement to Graham. She was so excited, her voice so bubbly and enthusiastic. She couldn't wait for them to meet him.

Samuel hadn't liked him. There was something shifty about him, something that rubbed him the wrong way despite Graham being very polite and seeming friendly enough. Samuel hadn't know what it was at first but his misgivings had grown as the wedding had gotten closer and closer. Graham had insisted on getting married in the city. Samuel and his parents had driven into the city for the ceremony, had watched as the couple had exchanged vows and then driven away, Elizabeth beaming and waving out the window, her eyes shining with excitement as they disappeared.

But after the wedding something had changed in his sister. She hadn't returned his phone calls, and when she had she'd claimed to have never gotten the messages. She could never talk long and though she promised to come home to visit she never did. Samuel had gone to her place in the city to visit her a couple times but no one had ever seemed to be home. Samuel had seen that his parents too were worried about Elizabeth and had tried reaching her themselves, but like his attempts they had rarely been successful in reaching her.

Elizabeth had become withdrawn and Graham never seemed to take much effort to try and arrange family gatherings, in fact he appeared not to be interested in having them be a part of his or Elizabeth's life at all.

And over the last seven and a half months Elizabeth had seemed to disappear completely off the map, much to Samuel's concern. He had planned on making a trip to the city again soon, to try and find her – or find out what had happened to her, but with some unexpected complications that had turned up at work it had put his trip on hold. He wished he'd given the project to someone else, that he'd searched his sister out. Because if he had, she might still be alive.

When the New York Police Department had called the family had been sitting down to dinner after a long hard day of working the cattle. The herd was smaller so it was easier to maintain with just Samuel and his father but it always made for a long day and they were always exhausted by the time they came in for dinner. Samuel's mother had already had dinner made and waiting for them. After quickly saying grace and asking to watch over their family, including Elizabeth, the family had started in on the roasted chicken and garlic potatoes. But not five minutes later the phone had rung.

Samuel's father had been full of laughter, recalling the story of one calf that had really given Samuel a run for his money earlier and it was only with years of practice that Samuel had finally been able to corral the calf so it could be vaccinated and branded. Samuel had watched as the laughter had drained from his father's face, along with most of the color as the person on the other end of the line had spoken.

After his father had hung up the phone the night had been a blur, as had the days following that. The news had been devastating. Impossible to believe and yet unmistakably true. A few days later the story had made headlines, even in their small city, Elizabeth was well known here and Graham had been a big business man in New York. The coroner had told the reporters that Elizabeth had died of blunt trauma and a crushed windpipe and after a DNA test had indeed proved that Graham was the father of the baby her cause of death had been a broken neck. Samuel hadn't been interested in reading what the police had reported upon their findings to the apartment Elizabeth had been staying in. Nor of the trial that had been set up for Graham on whether or not he'd get the death penalty for two accounts of first degree murder. As far as Samuel was concerned Graham getting the chair was the easy way out for him. Too good for him.

He heard the creak of the loose floorboard outside his room, and his door squeaked a little as his father pushed the door open, bringing with him the smell of hay and leather. "Sammy? You ready?"

Samuel didn't even flinch at the hated nickname. He gripped the edge of the dresser, his knuckles white, glaring down at the stained wood.

"Sammy," his father's heavy shoes made the floorboards groan as he walked on them, making his way to his son. He turned Samuel towards him and grabbed his tie. Samuel felt the gentle tug of the tie being knotted and straightened at his collar.

"It's not fair," Samuel whispered.

"No, i-it isn't fair, Sammy," His father's voice cracked and Samuel felt his father's arms wrap around him in a tight hug. He allowed himself to be crushed to his father's chest in a firm embrace as several tears spilled down his cheeks. He could feel his father's muscles trembling through his jacket and hear the rasps of his father's sobs as they caught in his chest. Samuel felt tears of his own fall into his father's jacket as they shared this moment of grief together.

* * *

><p>The coffins sat side by side, the flowers on top of them both failed to give them a cheery appearance but they were at least saved from the drizzling rain by the canopy that had been set up over them. The chairs were quickly filled, and all that was left was standing room behind them, black umbrellas keeping most of the funeral goers somewhat dry as the rain continued to pour down on them.<p>

No one noticed the figure hanging back by the trees, his hands shoved in his trench coat, the strange hat he wore, or how he was careful to hid his face. He didn't join the mourners. Didn't move as they prayed asking the Lord to lift these souls into his arms and protect them forever. He watched quietly and listened.

_Even now I remember all the empty spaces you filled with love._

_Even now every corner of the world we shared is still filled with love._

_Even now not a day goes by when I don't ache for you._

_Through my tears I still hear your laughter. Even now._

"And as we say good bye to our daughter, our friend, and sister we know that we will one day see her again. That death is part of our maker's great plan. But death is not the end of all. The love she had for those who were fortunate enough to share her life with her will live on. And through that love she too will live on."

The dark figure hidden in the shadows of the trees shifted, frowning. He watched as the preacher ended the ceremony and three figures stood up, shook hands with the preacher and stood next to the two coffins. The woman dabbed at her face with a Kleenex. She had Elizabeth's hair, the shape of their faces and mouths had been the same. The older man kept one arm wrapped around the woman, accepting the handshakes and hugs the other mourners offered him. He seemed to be keeping it together better than the woman was, though from the slight tremble in his shoulders, he was just putting on a show for others. The boy, no older than his mid twenties wasn't as stoic, his eyes were puffy, his nose pink from the times he'd had to wipe it. Even now he dabbed almost constantly at his eyes. His hair was darker like his fathers, but he was tall and slim, not widely built like his father. He took shook hands and accepted the hugs from these people, nodding his thanks when they told him how sorry they were for his loss.

The dark figure by the trees looked away from the small family that was now missing two of its members. The two white caskets sat side by side, the smaller of the two sitting in front of the bigger one. A few people deposited more flowers on the caskets as they passed. Someone even put a little teddy bear on the smaller casket.

The dark figure watched as the last of the mourners walked away. The three remaining family members lingered for several minutes, saying their goodbyes before they turned and slowly left the graveyard as well, climbing into a rusty pick up and driving away. Still the figure waited, wanting to make sure everyone was gone before he walked forward.

After almost ten minutes the figure finally emerged from the trees and walked over to where the caskets sat side by side. If he was aware he was being watched, he didn't show it.

_Stars still shine when they're gone, hearts that break still beat on._

_Letting go's the hardest thing to do, 'cause all those feelings start_

_And time can't change my heart, it all leads back to you_

Raphael slowly pulled his hands from his trench coat pockets, touching the bigger of the two coffins, his tears hidden beneath the brim of his hat. He bowed his head forward, closing his eyes and a couple more tears squeezed out from underneath his eyelids. He knew it had been risky coming here today, but he hadn't wanted to miss this – he couldn't miss Elizabeth's funeral. Reaching into his trench coat's inside pocket he withdrew two single red roses. He lay one on each casket, apart from the other flowers, the red roses standing out brilliantly against the white coffins.

_Even now you are in my dreams and in my dreams you always will be_

_Even now you're the one true thing that brings my heart back home here to me_

_When I'm scared I can close my eyes you are there ever young_

_And somehow I can always find you even now. _

The rose on Elizabeth's casket started to slip, Raph caught it before it could fall to the ground, rearranging it so it would stay where it was. Then without saying a word he turned and headed out of the cemetery. Ignoring the eyes that watched him from the shadows.

_From all the memories kept inside _

_To all the dreams we knew the rush of you_

_Will always be a part of me. _

Leonardo watched his brother walk away from the two caskets, his head once again tucked low inside his trench coat, and his hands shoved into the pockets. Leo watched as his brother hopped over the distant fence and disappeared. His own brown eyes strayed back to the two caskets. And at the two roses his brother had deposited on them. They rocked a little in the fierce wind, threatening to blow away - snatched away just as Elizabeth and Akemi had been.

"I'm so sorry, Elizabeth," he said quietly. A tear of his own wetting his mask.

As he watched something seemed to shimmer near the caskets for the briefest of moments. With a gust of wind the rain began to pour down harder. Leo blinked, the shimmer was gone. But as he turned away he could've sworn he heard the slightest sound of a familiar laugh, and the scent of jasmine and strawberries on the wind.

_Even now you are in my dreams and in my dreams you always will be_

_Even now you're the one true thing that brings my heart back home here to me_

_Even now in my darkest night still you shine silver light_

_So I fall through forever and with you even now. _

* * *

><p><em><em>**A/N: I know that this isn't a happy ending for this story, and usually I aim for happy endings. But the reason I wrote this story the way I did was because like Elizabeth so many people are in abusive situations and not all of them are able to get out in time. I wrote this story for those women. And at the time I started this story I too was trapped in a marriage that was turning scary but I was able to get out before it was too late. I knew from the get go that this would always be the epilogue, that it would end with Elizabeth and her daughter's funeral. But that didn't make it any easier to write once I got here. I really had a hard time doing what I did at the end of this story. And even considered writing an alternate ending to the story. I'd be willing to do that if I have enough people interested in me doing it. If not. We will leave it here and say goodbye until next time. I am taking a break from writing for a while - if I get enough people interested in an alternate ending I will be taking a break after I write that. I'm really struggling with so many things right now that writing is very hard for me most days. So I think taking a break will do me some good. I am not giving up on our favorite green boys. And I'll be back after I get some things sorted out. In the meantime thanks again for sticking with me, for supporting this story, and for those who take the time to review it. Have a great weekend guys. **


	27. Epilogue: Alternate Ending

**Sorry it took me so long to get this written guys, had a bit of a rough time of it lately. Anyway. Here is the alternate ending to the story. Thank you again for those of you who've taken the time to read, and then take the time to review, you guys are all awesome. I have the beginnings for my next story, but I still plan on taking a break from writing. At least for a bit. I'll be back though so I'll see you guys then. :) Until then take care and thank you for everything  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue:<strong>

**One Year Later**

Leonardo stretched, working through basic katas before moving onto more difficult complex ones in the dojo. It was peaceful this early in the morning. His brothers were still sleeping and it was the best time for him to get in some good morning training and meditation without worrying about being disturbed. He found it highly irritating when he wanted to meditate and he had three noisy brothers interrupting him, asking him stupid questions, and teasing him about how much time he spent training or in meditation.

Bringing his katana around, Leo faced off with an imaginary opponent. Blocking, striking, anticipating. He worked himself, knowing he had to be at the top of his game if he was to protect his family.

The slightest of movements, the slightest shift in the air, the softest of sounds had him stopping. He paused and glanced towards the open dojo door. No one was standing there, but, someone was certainly making their way in. Leo grinned, sheathed his katana and walked over to the crawling infant.

"You're up early, Akemi."

Akemi grinned back at him and tugged on one of his mask tails, trying to stuff it into her mouth. Leo gently pulled it out of her grip and let her grip one of his fingers instead.

"AKEMI! Where'd ya go?" Raphael sounded frantic and Leonardo could hear a few things being shifted around as his brother searched for the toddler in the next room.

"Escaped from Raph did you?" Leo asked as he adjusted the infant and carried her out of the dojo.

Raph looked up as Leo walked into the living room and his tense stressed shoulders visibly relaxed. "Leo, tank shell. Dis is da third time she's gotten away from me dis mornin' – kept headin' fer da dojo."

Leo chuckled. "Should've checked there first, Raph."

"She's lookin' fer you. Yer 'er favorite." Raph said shaking his head and relieving his brother of the infant. "Come on kid, time fer yer breakfast."

Leonardo chuckled quietly as his brother carried Akemi into the kitchen.

"Morning, Leo."

Leo looked up as Elizabeth left Raphael's room. The couple had dropped the pretext of not being together after Elizabeth had moved in after she'd almost been killed when Graham had found her a year ago. She and Akemi had both almost been killed. If Raphael hadn't gotten to April's apartment to pull Graham off Elizabeth when he had…

Leo's mouth fell in a frown at the thought, even now when Elizabeth was alive and well, and Akemi was obviously flourishing. It had been touch and go for a while for both of them though, and Raphael still seemed to be touchy about the subject. Just a couple more minutes and it would've been too late. Donatello was hard pressed to keep them both alive until the ambulance had gotten there. Casey and April had arrived just before the police had so Casey had told the police he'd found Graham beating Elizabeth and Akemi up, had jumped him, knocked him out and tied him up. Raph didn't sleep for days, calling April anxiously every few hours to see if there had been any change in Elizabeth or Akemi's conditions. April's answer had always been the same.

_We'll let you know when we know, Raph. _

It hadn't been easy for any of the turtles. Mikey had been uncharacteristically solemn, refusing to play with any of his games or read any of his comic books. Raph had spent his time either pacing anxiously around the lair or taking his frustration out on one of his punching bags, each hit accompanied with a choice word that made the others flinch. Splinter hadn't even bothered addressing Raphael on his language much to the others' surprise. But they all knew how upset and worried Raph was. They all had been.

Graham was taken to trial while Elizabeth and Akemi were both still unconscious and fighting for their lives in the hospital. Elizabeth's family had driven into the city for the hearing and to plead with the judge on their daughter and granddaughter's behalves. Leonardo had watched the story on the news but no one else and been remotely interested in what had happened. As far as Raph was concerned no matter what the courts decided it wouldn't be enough. If he got the death penalty it would be the chair or a lethal injection and both of those were too good of a way out for Graham as far as Raphael was concerned, and life in prison wasn't good enough either, living off the state for the rest of his life and knowing someday he might make parole. And what would happen to Elizabeth and Akemi if he did?

Graham was found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to life in prison with a chance for parole in forty-five years. When he was an old man and too fragile to hurt anyone Leo had thought bitterly.

As for Elizabeth and Akemi it took them both almost a month and a half to recover from their injuries. Elizabeth's had been worse than Akemi's, but with Akemi still being as young as she was, what injuries she had had were dangerous and terrifying. The doctors had been worried about brain damage but luckily there didn't seem to be any of that.

Elizabeth hadn't gone back to April's when she'd been released from the hospital. Instead she had had April and Casey drive her to the warehouse, Raph had met her topside and the two had embraced fiercely. A couple days later after her affairs were in order Elizabeth had moved in with the turtles for good. She'd moved into Raph's private quarters with him, and though his hammock still hung in one corner of the room with Donatello's help and with a generous donation from April and Casey the couple had a queen size bed to share. Akemi's crib had been moved in there as well. Most of Raphael's work out items had been moved downstairs so Akemi wouldn't get into them and ruin them, but Raphael didn't seem to mind too much.

Leo's mind snapped back to the present. "Morning, Elizabeth. Raphael's got Akemi in the kitchen."

Elizabeth smiled as she made her way down the stairs. "Great. Thanks."

Leo nodded and watched as she went into the kitchen as well. He was happy and proud of his brother. Raphael had really stepped up to being responsible for Akemi, raising her as if she really were his own. It was plain to see he cared deeply for Akemi and for Elizabeth.

Leonardo had been on patrol with Raphael late one night and the subject of Elizabeth had come up. Raphael had told Leo that he and Elizabeth had discussed marriage and while she loved him, and him her, she wasn't ready for marriage again. Not yet. Raphael hadn't seemed to mind. He was willing to go at Elizabeth's pace. But he had told Leo something that had surprised him.

Elizabeth had shown Raphael Akemi's birth certificate the night before, something she'd filled out at the hospital. Akemi Samantha Hamato. Elizabeth had told Raphael she'd picked the middle name for her brother, who she still missed terribly, but she was happy here in the city with Raphael and the others. She said she wouldn't give that up for anything. She'd signed her name on the line that had said mother and on the line over father she'd written in, not Graham's name, but Raphael's. Raphael had been shocked, but not displeased when Elizabeth told him that she knew he'd be a better father than Graham had ever hoped to be.

"Akemi, don't t'row dat!"

There was a clatter and Leonardo heard his brother sigh, irritated. He chuckled. Akemi had been getting more and more independent, and she liked to have things a certain way, if she didn't get things to be the way she liked, she threw temper tantrums. Her latest fetish was throwing things she didn't want.

Leo headed into the kitchen to fix a cup of tea. He saw Elizabeth sitting in front of her daughter, who was sitting in the high chair with a piece of torn up bread and some slices of banana and Elizabeth seemed to be coaxing some applesauce into her daughter's mouth. Raphael was grumbling as he mopped up something on the floor, Akemi's sippy cup had popped open spilling her milk all over the place. Leonardo could see from the milk trailing down the wall where the cup must've hit when she'd thrown it.

Akemi pushed her mother's hand away. "No."

"Come on, Akemi, open up." Elizabeth coaxed.

Akemi pressed her lips tightly shut and refused to open it up for the spoonful of applesauce.

Elizabeth ran her fingers through her long brown hair and glanced at Leo. "Leo, would you mind? She'll always eat for you."

Leo set down the empty tea kettle and walked over to where Elizabeth was sitting. Elizabeth gave him a grateful smile and handed him the spoon and container of applesauce. She got up, gathered up the tea kettle and started the water for his tea before getting started on everyone else's breakfast.

Leo put some applesauce onto the spoon and smiled at Akemi. "Come on Akemi you want to grow up to be a big strong ninja don't you?"

Raphael snorted quietly but Akemi opened her mouth and allowed Leo to put the applesauce in it.

"Don't know why, Leo. But she really does eat better for you." Elizabeth said with a sigh.

Akemi turned a little so she could see Elizabeth. "Mama."

"That's right that's your Haha."

"Haha."

Akemi clapped her hands, obviously pleased with herself, then smashed her hand against a banana sending bits of banana all over her highchair tray, and Leonardo. Raphael and Elizabeth laughed.

"That's a good look for you, Leo. You should wear mashed banana on your face every day." Mikey chuckled as he entered the kitchen. Leonardo wiped the smashed banana off his face in disgust.

"Is there coffee?" Don asked with a wide yawn as he followed his youngest brother into the kitchen.

Elizabeth chuckled. "It's almost don, Don."

Don sat down at the table sleepily and blinked at the table top as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world, Elizabeth only took a minute or so before she set a steaming cup of coffee in front of him and he wrapped his hands around it, as if it were the warmest thing in the world. He sniffed the aroma appreciatively and took a sip.

Elizabeth set a cup of tea down for Leo and hot chocolate for Mikey. Mikey grinned at the cup with the whipped cream and chocolate shavings on it. "You make the best hot chocolate ever, Elizabeth." Mikey said as he took a sip, whipped cream covered the top of his beak, giving him a mustache of cream.

"Yer s'pposed ta drink it, not wear it, Mike." Raph said rolling his eyes.

Leo smirked and took a sip of his tea, watching quietly.

"Chichi! Chichi!" Akemi begged holding her hands out for Raphael. She had obviously had enough breakfast between the slices of banana, torn up bits of bread, and the couple spoonfuls of applesauce Leo had been able to coax into her mouth. Leo picked her up out of her high chair and handed her to Raph. Akemi stared at Raph for a long moment, then grabbed his mask tail and gave it a sharp tug, turning the mask slightly on his head and making the material cover one of his amber eyes.

Raphael scowled as Mikey snorted into his hot chocolate, blowing bits of whipped cream onto the table top. Leo shook his head and took his usual seat as Elizabeth put a basket of muffins onto the table, which was quickly followed by toast, scrambled eggs, fresh fruits, and crisp bacon. Mikey grabbed a handful of the bacon, but Elizabeth smacked his hand sharply and he dropped all but two pieces, looking rather sheepish.

The soft sound of a wooden cane hitting the hard floor had Leonardo's eyes snapping to the entryway of the kitchen where Splinter was slowly making his way in. Elizabeth smiled and gave the rat a formal, polite greeting.

"Ohayuo gozaimasu, Master Splinter," Elizabeth said.

Splinter smiled fondly at her. "Ohayou, musume."

Leo saw the color touch Elizabeth's cheeks, no doubt Raphael had told her what musume meant because Elizabeth had only asked Raphael to start teaching her some of the Japanese language a few weeks ago, and while she was learning well, with a toddler running around their lessons had been short and far between.

"Oji! Oji!" Akemi began to squirm in Raphael's arms. She strained towards Leonardo.

"How come she knows more Japanese than I do?" Elizabeth grumbled as she sat down next to Raphael, her bottom lip sticking out in a pout as she glared at the scrambled eggs Mikey was piling onto his plate.

Raphael chuckled as he handed Akemi off to Leonardo, who sat her on his lap and helped himself to some of the fresh strawberries, melons, and raspberries Elizabeth had put on the table.

"'Cause Leo talks ta 'er in Japanese."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and looked at Leo questioningly. He met her gaze but then looked away again with a slight shrug. "She's picking it up well enough."

"Ichigo!" Akemi said as she reached for one of the strawberries on Leonardo's plate but he pushed the plate and the berries safely out of her reach.

"What'd she say?" Elizabeth asked, clearly frustrated in not being able to understand what her daughter was say in a language that was still so foreign to her.

Raph laughed. "She wanted on of Leo's strawberries. Don't tink Leo wanted dat smeared all over 'is face too."

"Funny, Raph," Leo said though, his tone had no snap in it. Akemi sat quietly on his lap, content to behave now that the berries were out of her reach.

Elizabeth glance at the time and then back at her daughter, who rubbed at her eyes. "She's bound to be tired, Leo. You can go put her down for her morning nap if you'd like."

Leo nodded, stood up and carried Akemi out of the room. He barely made a sound as he carried the tired infant upstairs and into his brother's private quarters.

"Ya know w'at I tinks funny," Mikey said through a mouthful of eggs and toast.

The others wrinkled their beaks, and noses, in disgust as bits of partially chewed eggs flew onto the table.

"Oops, sorry," Mikey said with a huge gulp as he swallowed the food in his mouth and wiped up the egg on the table with his hand and wiped it on his thigh. "I think its funny Akemi seems so taken with Leo when he used to hold her like she was a piece of glass that would break if he looked at her funny."

The other too laughed quietly, so their voices wouldn't carry to the sharp ears of Leonardo.

"I tink it's cause he's da calmest one 'round 'er, Mikey," Raph finally said when he stopped laughing. "He's quiet. She likes dat. I've noticed she's calmer if Leo's around."

Elizabeth squeezed his wrist and he glanced at her and smiled. Then the family began to eat together, quietly, with only the slight clinking of forks against their plates or the soft sound of cups being put on the table again after the user had taken a drink.

Upstairs Leonardo put Akemi down in her crib. She blinked at him with wide green eyes. Her hair was longer, hanging in loose ringlets around her shoulders, framing her heart shaped face. She looked so much like Elizabeth. She had Elizabeth's eyes, her nose, the color of her hair, the way Akemi's eyes regarded him at times he could've sworn it was Elizabeth and not Akemi he was looking at. He wasn't sure why she seemed to take to him, but he knew Elizabeth and Raphael, while not always pushing Akemi onto him, were allowed to spend some time alone together while Akemi stayed with him.

Leonardo spoke quietly to Akemi, remembering old Japanese folktales that Splinter had often told him and his brothers at bedtime when they were little. Akemi's favorite seemed to be Kachi-Kachi Yama and so Leo often told it, speaking quietly in Japanese. He wasn't sure how much of what he was saying Akemi really understood, but he'd barely reached the part where the rabbit pretends to befriend the treacherous and deceitful raccoon when Akemi's eyes began to drift closed, her head rolled to one side and her body relaxed as sleep claimed her.

Leonardo stopped talking and quietly left the room, closing the door softly behind him. As he headed back downstairs to join his family and Elizabeth he thought about all the changes they'd been through the past couple years. With Raphael meeting and befriending Elizabeth, bringing her home, how all of them had come to care about and love Elizabeth. And now Akemi.

At the soft sounds of quiet conversations in the kitchen starting up again Leonardo smiled, perhaps one day Elizabeth and Raphael would get married, though Leonardo had never even really considered the thought before. He'd never thought anyone would ever look at any of them the way Elizabeth looked at his brother, but if Raphael had been lucky. Then maybe, just maybe, others would as well.

His steps lighter and his heart a little lighter he went back to join his family as they finished up their breakfasts. He knew he should enjoy the peace of Akemi's nap while it lasted.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Continued: Kachi-Kachi Yama is an old Japanese folktale. Of the stories I researched, I could see this one being one of the ones Leo told.  
><strong>

**Oji- Uncle  
><strong>

**Ichigo - strawberry  
><strong>

**Haha - Mom  
><strong>

**Chichi - Dad  
><strong>

**I hope this ending was happier for everyone, I was happy with how it ended up. And yes the next story I'm working on is a sequel for this one. I might start posting it by the fall. We'll see how things work out. Thanks again everyone for reading and for those who review. I'll see you all again soon. :)  
><strong>


	28. Chapter 28

Hey everyone. Thank you again for taking the time to read this story. It really was an emotional roller coaster and helped me get through a pretty hard time. As promised I am working on the sequel to this one but I thought I'd go by popular vote on which ending I should go off of. I've been told that the original ending suited the story better and so I've been debating on whether or not to write the next story in which Elizabeth is alive or dead. Depending on how many I get for which ending will ultimately decide the fate of some characters for the next story as well as future story lines. I'm going to really start working on it at the end of this week and I'll see where it goes from there. Thank you as always for your support. See you next time.


	29. Reply to Guest Reviews

**Guest: I'm flattered you thought so highly of this story. Never expected a 15/10 for any of my stories, but this story was special to me since I was in abusive marriage at the time. It was one of the reasons I wrote it. But thank you I'm glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the review.**

**Panic: Yeah it took me a few stories before I felt like I'd gotten Raphael's accent down to believable. So I'm glad you feel it was well written. I usually struggle with reading OC romance stories as well, just because the two characters meet and are in love in two seconds. It isn't how love works. Love is complex and builds over time. I'm glad you enjoyed Elizabeth's story though. It was a way for me to vent at the time since I was in an abusive marriage myself. Thank you for the review.**


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